Somewhere Else and Back Again
by spacecrazegirly
Summary: After finding the One Piece, Luffy and Nami are separated from the crew and thrust into another world. Sixteen years have past, and they find themselves back in their own home again, but what is waiting for them when they return?
1. Chapter 1

Milo stood next to his younger sister, waiting for her bus to arrive. The sky was clouded over, threatening rain. There were several patches of blue on the horizon, but his mother insisted it was going to rain and not clear up, as the weather report had said. Bellemere held her princess umbrella over her head, making sure every strand of her orange hair was protected from the impending water.

"It's not raining yet, Bella," Milo said, "Put it down. Your bus is almost here."

"No. Mommy did my hair today and I want it to stay pretty." Bellemere insisted, the twelve year old pouting at her older brother.

Milo sighed, shaking his head and spotting the yellow bus at the end of the road. "Your bus is here, put your umbrella down."

Bellemere didn't put down her umbrella until the bus had stopped in front of her. The doors opened and Bellemere climbed up the steps, a grin on her face as she joined her friends. The bus driver, an older man, waved at Milo. He waved back as the old man drove away.

Milo scowled as the bus drove down the street and vanished as it turned a corner. He trudged back up the driveway, not wanting to face his parents. But he didn't have to wait long, as they both were standing on their front porch. His father had a half smile on his face, but his mother looked furious.

"Milo Monkey," she started, her arms crossed over her chest. "Now, while you were out last night, we got a call from your school."

Milo bit his lip, getting ready for the lecture. "You were fighting?" His father asked, his smile vanishing to look disapproved as his mother glared at him. His smile returned when his mother looked away.

"Yeah…" Milo didn't know what to expect when his parents ordered him into the house. He sat at the dining table, his hands fidgeting on his lap as his mother paced in front of him.

"Why?" Was the first question, the one he had been dreading.

"I… he was making fun of Andy. I didn't want to get caught, but the gym teacher saw the end."

His father laughed. "Luffy!" His mother scolded, slapping the back of his head. "You shouldn't be encouraging him!"

"Sorry Nami," his father laughed, "But he's like me."

"Maybe too much," Nami sighed loudly and leaned on the table. "Well, that can't be helped. He is your son."

Luffy looked at Milo, "We have a meeting with your principal tonight, so when you get home we'll be bringing you in with us."

Milo paused, "So… you're not mad?"

"Milo," His father started, "You're sixteen. When I was your age, I was fighting sea monsters."

"That's just a story you told us when we were little." Milo muttered.

Luffy put a hand on Milo's shoulder, "So? Who says it never happened?"

"Common sense. Sea monsters don't exist, and even if they did there's no one alive strong enough to fight one."

"I don't know, Milo. Your father's quite the man." She picked up her purse. "Come on, I'll drive you to school. You too Luffy, hurry, or you'll be late."

Luffy jumped up from his seat, grabbing his wallet and darting out the door. Nami shook her head, smiling. She followed Milo out the door and to the bright red car in the driveway.

"Why'd you have to get such a flashy car?" Milo asked.

"Because your father's favorite color is red," Nami replied.

"But he can't drive."

"He bought the car."

Milo huffed, staring out the window. The high school was only a few blocks away, and they arrived quickly. Milo jumped out, shouldering his backpack. Luffy rolled down the window, "If you do fight, don't get caught this time."

"What your father means," Nami said, "Is have a good day."

"I will," He waved as his parents drove off, his father to the docks and his mother to the news station.

* * *

"Hey! Milo!" Andy barreled into Milo from behind. "How'd it go with your parents?"

Milo turned to see his friend looking sheepish. "It went fine. I don't think they're that mad."

Andy visibly sagged in relief. "That's good. I was worried they'd get mad. Then I'd feel bad."

"Nah," Milo waved his hand dismissively. "Dad started talking about how he beat up sea monsters when he was my age."

"He's still talking about those crazy adventures? His stories were the best when we were younger." Andy grinned.

"Yeah, but he seems to think they're true." Milo sighed. "Dad can be really childish sometimes."

"But he's still cool," Andy argued.

Milo gave up, hearing the bell ring and sprinting to his locker. "See you at lunch!" He called to Andy.

* * *

Milo entered his classroom with seconds to spare. His teacher gave a disapproving stare as he took his seat. She started her lesson, and Milo zoned out. He never cared for physics.

The morning seemed to drag on, which was fine with Milo. He really didn't want to face his parents and principal tonight. So when lunch came around, Milo was starving. He loaded up on cafeteria food and joined his friends at their usual table.

"Geez, only you could eat that," Malcolm said, eyeing Milo's heaping plate.

"Shut up, I'm hungry."

Andy snorted, "The only person who can eat more than you is your dad."

Milo shoved a forkful of food into his mouth to avoid commenting. Tim reached over and stole one of Milo's buns, grinning ad Milo tried to stab his hand with his fork. "You missed," Tim taunted, and ducked as Milo threw his spoon at him, getting him between the eyes. It left a bruise.

Lunch passed quicker than Milo would have liked, and he was back in class. English and Math passed, and Milo was standing with Andy and Tim at the front of his school. Andy patted his back, "Good luck with your parents tonight."

"Yeah… thanks…" Milo slumped and grimaced.

"We'll be at the school too," Tim said. "Basketball practice. If it goes bad, come see us. We'll hide you from Mrs. Monkey's wrath."

"Thanks," Milo muttered, leaving the school ground. He trudged home, and arrived at an empty house. His sister would be getting off the bus in a few minutes, so he left the garage door open when he entered. Dropping his backpack on the floor, he went into the living room. His gaming console was sitting on the T.V stand, and he sat down and powered it up. If his parents decided to ground him this would be the first to be taken away.

Milo shuttered, remembering the last time he got in trouble. His father had tried to play one of his games, and Milo was forced to sit and watch his father fail. He browsed through his game selection, pausing slightly when he heard the bus pull up outside his house. His sister entered the house, closing the garage door behind her and joined him in the living room.

"You're gonna get in more trouble if Mom and Dad find out you're playing video games instead of doing homework," Bellemere said, sitting on the couch.

"I don't care," Milo muttered, picking out a game.

"But they're gonna be mad!" Bellemere said again. "I don't like it when they're mad."

Milo heard the front door open halfway through Bellemere's sentence, and shoved the game back onto the shelf and powered down his PS3. Bellemere perked up when she heard their parents enter, and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Hey Bellemere," Milo heard his father's voice. "How was your day?"

"My hair stayed in!" Bellemere exclaimed happily, and Milo could imagine her pointing to it.

"That's good," His mother said. "We're going out tonight. Milo! Get ready to go! We're going out for dinner before meeting with your principal."

Milo sighed, standing and entering the kitchen. His father's face was smeared with grease, and his mother had a cloth in her hand. "Hold still Luffy." She snagged his chin and began wiping off the grease. "Go take a shower and change. You're filthy."

"It's not my fault! It's messy work!"

"Go" Nami pointed. Luffy went.

Milo stepped further in, "Mom?"

Nami turned around. "Milo, good. Are you wearing that tonight?"

Milo glanced down at his jeans and t-shirt. "Yes?"

She nodded, "Alright. What are you going to say to your principal tonight?"

Milo sat down next to Bellemere, who was coloring. "I hadn't thought about it," he admitted.

"That won't do," she said, shaking her head. "You always need a plan of attack."

"I'm just gonna apologize," Milo muttered.

Nami laughed, "You should stand up for yourself. It was the other kid who started the fight, right?"

"Yeah, but I threw the first punch. You said that fighting is bad."

"I'm not saying that standing up for yourself and your friends is a bad thing," Nami came over to the table and sat across from Milo. "But you should try going about it a different way. Only words were thrown first, right?"

Milo nodded.

Nami smiled. "Be the bigger person. Don't fight back. It'll provoke them if you fight."

Milo looked down at the table. "Mom, this is different. You haven't gone through this before."

"Who says I haven't?" Nami asked, crossing her arms and looking insulted. "Your father and I were in a town called Jaya once. This was over nineteen years ago. Man I feel old," Nami shook her head. "But there was a man there, called Bellamy. He insulted your father, but Luffy didn't do anything."

"What happened?" Bellemere had paused her coloring to listen.

"Well, Bellamy started a fight. But Luffy and Zoro didn't fight back. They got their asses handed to them!" Nami laughed. But a moment later, she grew serious again. "But because they didn't fight back, Bellamy got no satisfaction out of beating them."

"Who's Zoro?" Bellemere asked.

"A friend of mine," Nami explained, her eyes going distant.

"What happened next?" Milo asked, fascinated with the story. His parents didn't speak of their past much.

"He provoked us," Luffy's voice came from the doorway, having heard the previous sentence. He had changed into clean clothes and had a towel over his head. "And because we didn't fight him before, he didn't know how strong we were." Luffy grinned. "I beat him."

"But only keep the first part in mind," Nami said sternly. "Hurting people up for no reason isn't worth it."

Milo nodded, "What did he do to provoke you, Dad?" As far as he knew, his father was completely optimistic and couldn't get mad.

"He stole something from a friend." He turned to Nami, "Are we heading out? I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Nami muttered, but stood and grabbed the car keys and purse. "Alright, let's go."

Bellemere jumped up, abandoning her coloring book. Milo stood, a knot in his stomach forming. He didn't know how much of an appetite he would have. Before leaving the house, he glanced at the clock. 4:43pm. He had less than three hours until his parents would meet the principal. He wasn't so worried about the fight. His grades weren't the best. He was failing physics, and his mother always insisted that he do his best and make a good future for himself.

He left the house, climbing into the car next to his sister. His mother had taken the towel off of Luffy's head, as he had forgotten to take it off before they left the house, and tossed it into the backseat with Milo and Bellemere. "Hang that over your seat," she ordered.

* * *

They left, arriving at the restaurant a while later. Luffy was the first one out, bouncing eagerly on his heels as the rest of his family joined him. They were seated by a young woman, who brought out complimentary bread sticks They were gone a few moments later, devoured by Luffy and Milo, who, despite being nervous hadn't let his appetite suffer.

"Honestly," Nami scolded. "Be polite. And Luffy, try not to shove everything into your mouth at once. And no stretching."

His mother always said that when they went to a public place for dinner. Both Milo and Bellemere had no idea what it meant. Bellemere had asked once, and their mother had waved her off, claiming it to be an inside joke and would tell them when they were older.

Luffy pouted, but brightened as a waiter approached them. "Can I get a milkshake?" Bellemere asked, and Nami nodded.

"Hello, my name is Rachel, and I'm going to be your waiter for this evening. Can I start you off with drinks?" Rachel asked.

"Can I get a chocolate milkshake?" Bellemere asked shyly.

Rachel nodded, "Of course sweetie. And for you?" She turned to Nami.

"Just water, please."

Rachel nodded and scribbled that down on her notepad. "For you, sir?" She addressed Luffy.

"Do you have sake?"

Nami sighed loudly, sounding annoyed. Rachel looked confused. "Sorry, sir. I don't believe so…"

"He'll have water too," Nami interrupted.

Rachel looked to Milo, "What about you, young man?"

"Coke,"

Rachel nodded, "I'll be back in a few minutes with your orders."

Bellemere began drumming her fingers on the table. "Stop that Bellemere, it's not polite," Nami scolded lightly, catching Bellemere's fingers.

"But there isn't any coloring here. I'm bored." Suddenly, she brightened. "Daddy, can you tell us one of your stories?"

Luffy looked at Nami for approval, and she nodded. "Go ahead."

"Alright," Luffy grinned and took off his hat, which had been resting on his back. Placing it in the middle of the group, which was tradition when he told one of his stories, he began talking. "We left off at Sky Island last time, right?"

Bellemere nodded eagerly.

"Good. Now, it started on an island called Jaya," Milo perked up at the name. That had been the name of the island his parents had been to, the one his mother mentioned at the house. "The adventurers landed, and went into town. They needed to get more information on the Sky Island so they could get there. Their log pose was pointed at the sky-"

"The log pose looks like Mommy's bracelet, right?" Bellemere interrupted.

"That's right," Luffy said, catching Nami's hand. Nami allowed it to be guided to the middle of the table, where both Milo and Bellemere could see it. "It looks like this, but the needle was pointing at the sky." The needle in his mother's bracelet wasn't moving, pointing north.

"Cool," Bellemere whispered as she leaned closer, her breath fogging the glass of the bracelet.

"Now, the swordsman, the navigator, and the captain arrived at a bar, while the rest of the crew stayed behind on the ship. They asked the bartender where they could find information on the Sky Island, but the people in the bar laughed at them, saying that the Sky Island didn't exist. One man took offense to the adventurer's dreams, and began calling them names. But the adventurers didn't fight back. So the bad man got even madder, and began to beat up the captain and the swordsman. But they still didn't fight back. The bad man beat them up, and the navigator had to bring them back to their ship."

"Were they okay?" Bellemere asked, her eyes wide.

"Of course. When they got better, they found a man who lived on the other side of the island who wanted to help them. He told them of a current, called the Knock-Up stream. This current would bring them to the Sky Island."

"How?" Milo asked this time.

It was Nami who answered, "It starts when a huge underwater cave fills with gas. This gas, over time, becomes pressurized, and creates a crack in the ceiling of the cave. Water is sucked into the crack, and on the surface, a powerful whirlpool is created. While the cave is filling up with water, the gas is released. Once most of it is gone, the cave explodes. This sends a huge stream of water straight up into the sky."

"The adventurers found where it was going to be, and rode it up to the clouds, where they burst out of the clouds and landed on an ocean in the sky!" Luffy finished.

"How is there an ocean in the sky?" Milo asked again. "That defies the laws of physics."

"Well," Nami said, "Clouds are made of water vapor. If they were thick enough, a ship could ride it." Milo made a face, not convinced. Luffy paid him no mind and continued talking. "Once they were there, they were attacked by a man wearing a mask. He had on a pair of special skates that allowed him to ride above the White-White Sea."

"What's the White-White Sea?" Bellemere asked.

"The name of the ocean in the sky." Luffy answered. "But the adventurers were saved by the Sky Knight. This man defeated the attacker and gave them a whistle. 'If you need my help, blow the whistle and I will save you' Is what he told the crew."

"Um… Terribly sorry to interrupt…" Rachel was standing next to the table, a tray of drinks balanced on her arm.

"No problem," Nami said, as Luffy took his hat off the table. Milo turned red, embarrassed to be caught listening to a childish story.

"Two waters, a coke, and a milkshake." She placed the drinks on the table and stood back. "Have you decided on your meal?"

* * *

They all placed their orders. When Rachel left, Bellemere turned back to her parents with an expecting expression. "What's next?"

Luffy opened his mouth, but Nami beat him to it. "We'll continue later, what comes next isn't for the dinner table."

Bellemere pouted, and Milo felt a tang of disappointment. Despite being almost seventeen, his parent's stories never got old. Especially when he saw his parent's expressions when they were talking. Joy, happiness, adventure. There was also sadness and regret when his father talked of the captain's brother. So many emotions passed over their faces, it almost made him think the stories were real. Almost. Despite the enthusiasm, a lot of what happened was impossible.

Fruits that gave powers? That was the first thing that threw him off. A talking reindeer? Nope. A man who could wield three swords at once? Defiantly not. A living skeleton. No. A cyborg shipwright? Ha! A ship that could fly. Ridiculous. Fish men and mermaids? Impossible.

He had heard the story all the way through once before, being the older child. He used to beg to hear the stories, and it ended with the adventurer's captain becoming King. He hid a smile. The One Piece, which his father represented with the strange, locket sized amulet he wore around his neck, had been their goal throughout the story. He remembered when he heard the ending. He had been eleven, and almost cried when his father uttered the words 'The End'.

Rachel returned, this time bearing food. Another waiter was following her, carrying the rest of their order. He felt sorry for her, having to carry his and his father's meals.

"Hey Dad," Milo asked, his reminiscing bringing forth a question. "What happened after they found the One Piece?" he lowered his voice so Bellemere wouldn't hear. She hadn't heard the ending yet.

Luffy paused, putting down his fork. Nami looked over, having heard the question as well. Bellemere sipped at her milkshake, oblivious.

"The captain and the navigator fell in love," Nami said quietly. "But the crew was attacked. The two of them were separated from the rest of the crew."

"Where did they end up?"

Luffy and Nami exchanged glances, both of them looking sad. "Another world," Luffy finally answered, giving Milo a half smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Milo sat in a wooden chair, his parents standing behind him. A few feet away, another chair was placed and the one who had started the fight was sitting in it. Mason Feddley was a tall and muscular teenager, who was on the football team. His parents were behind him as well. The principal sat behind his desk, his fingers laced together and resting below his chin. In front of him was a nameplate reading Mr. Lovett.

"Now, Mr. and Mrs. Feddley. Mr. and Mrs. Monkey." Mason sniggered quietly when the principal said Milo's last name. "I'm sure you know why your children are here tonight."

Luffy put a hand on Milo's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "Yes, we are aware. Milo has told us."

Mr. Lovett turned to Mason's parents. "We received the phone call."

"Well then, as both of you are aware, these two students were caught fighting. There is going to be disciplinary action, but their testimonies will determine the severity of it." Mr. Lovett looked to both the parents. "Have you spoken to your children about their behavior?"

"Big words," Luffy whined quietly, shutting up when Nami glared at him.

Nami and Mrs. Feddley nodded, Mrs. Feddley gazing at Nami with a sharp gaze. She stood up straighter, her business attire looking neater than Nami's jeans and shirt. Nami didn't seem to care, glancing towards the door. Bellemere was waiting outside the office.

"That's good to hear. Their punishment will be a month of detention, and both of them will have to write an essay on the dangers of fighting. Is that understood?" Mr. Lovett glanced at both parties. Milo nodded meekly. Mason snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Mason," Mr. Lovett warned. "Remember, not complying will only increase the punishment."

* * *

They were dismissed. Nami and Luffy left first, Milo following them out the door. Bellemere jumped off the bench and grinned at Milo. "Are you in trouble?"

"Bellemere," Nami scolded. "You shouldn't ask that kind of question. You should be asking 'how did it go?'"

"Sorry," Bellemere said, "How did it go?"

Milo smiled and ruffled Bellemere's hair. "It went good."

"Don't touch my hair!" Bellemere shouted, slapping Milo's hand away.

Mason and his parents exited the office, Mrs. Feddley glaring at Nami and Luffy. "My, it's no wonder their child is fighting. Being raised by parents like them, it's a wonder he hasn't been caught before."

Nami's eyes grew dark, and Luffy pulled Bellemere behind him. "Milo, c'mere."

Milo had seen his mother's eyes spark dangerously. She reached into her purse, and from Milo's viewpoint he could see her hand gripping one of the three blue poles she always kept in there. "I'm sorry," Nami's voice was uncharacteristically sweet. "What did you say about my family?"

Mrs. Feddley raised one of her sculpted eyebrows. "Oh, did that insult you? I'm surprised you could understand that?"

Milo backed away from his mother, bumping into his father a few steps back. Luffy was trying and failing to suppress a grin. "That lady crossed the line," he whispered in Milo's ear. "I haven't seen her this angry since… well, Arlong."

"Who?" Milo whispered back.

"Don't say that name in front of her, but Arlong was a bad figure in her past." Luffy explained. "Pissed her off bad. Pissed me off too."

"Hmmm" Was Milo's response, tuning into Nami and Mrs. Feddley's rant.

"AND ANOTHER THING! THIS IS MY FAMILY, AND I DID A DAMN GOOD JOB RAISING THEM. IF THINK YOU CAN WALK UP AND INSULT THEM IN FRONT OF ME, YOU HAVE ANOTHER THING COMING! I CAN BEAT YOUR ASS TO THE GROUND IN NO TIME FLAT! DO YOU REALLY WANT ME MAD AT YOU?"

"Wow. Mom is very mad. Um… is there any way to turn her off?" Milo turned to Luffy.

"YOU INSULT MY CHILDREN'S NAMES TOO! MY DAUGHTER IS NAMED AFTER MY MOTHER YOU BITCH!"

"Cause it would really come in handy right now."

Luffy shook his head. "I've tried before. Once she gets going, there's no stopping her. The other woman is lucky Nami hasn't brought out her Clima-Tact yet."

"Her what?" But Luffy didn't answer this time, as all of them were thrown off their feet.

"What the hell was that?!" Mason shouted, climbing to his feet again. Another shockwave knocked him down.

"Stay down," Luffy ordered, grabbing Bellemere's arm and pulling her close. Milo stayed down as Mason and his father tried to get up again. A third wave threw them to the ground. Milo crawled over to his father, and Nami followed close behind. They latched onto Luffy, who used his arms and chest to cover their heads.

Shouts rang up from the gym, where the basketball practice was being held. "What's going on?!" Mr. Feddley shouted.

Nami and Luffy shared a look. This was just like last time. "You don't think…" Nami started.

"It's just like it. Hopefully, it's just an earthquake" Luffy said, pulling Bellemere and Milo closer. "You two, stay under me. If the ceiling caves in, I don't want you to get hurt."

Nami looked up, "There are cracks. Let's get out of here before the next shockwave."

Luffy stood, slightly hunched, keeping his children beneath him. The four of them began to walk, passing Mason and his parents. "You should get out of here too. We think it's an earthquake."

"That's impossible," Mr. Lovett said, stumbling out of his office. The floor of his office was covered in paper, and a large blue filing cabinet was on its side, spilling out more. "We're nowhere near a fault line to get tremors that violent."

"Are you sure?" Nami demanded, pushing Bellemere forward when she stopped walking. "Are you one hundred percent sure?"

Mr. Lovett nodded, following them. They reached the stairwell. "The last earthquake was a magnitude 8.9. That was at the nearest fault line, which is about eight hundred miles from here. We only had stuff falling off shelves. Nothing this severe."

"You have to be completely honest with me here. Is there absolutely no way this can happen." The group had reached the bottom floor, and Mr. Lovett was leading them to the gym. "Where are we going?"

"The gym," Mr. Lovett answered, glancing behind them. The Feddley family was following. There hadn't been a tremor in a while. "It's the most stable part of the school. There are also doors we can leave through." He paused, considering Nami's first question. "I can't say for certain, but I am positive that this is not a natural occurrence."

Luffy swore under his breath, and they entered the gym. The basketball coach must have told the players and spectators about the gym's stability because they were all sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. Luffy let up on his hold, Bellemere and Milo stepping away.

"What's going on?" Mr. Feddley asked, walking over to the group. "Why hasn't anyone left?"

"There's nothing outside. We can't leave." Someone said. A woman's voice.

"What…?" Nami asked. She stormed forward. "What do you mean there's nothing outside?"

Another man stood up, the basketball coach. "There's nothing but white. No ground, no sky. Nothing."

Nami stumbled backwards, Luffy catching her. "Mommy!" Bellemere exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

"Nami…" Luffy trailed off, but she knew what he meant. "We're going…"

"I know." She replied. "Bellemere, Milo. Sit down and hold on to something. When we arrive, it isn't going to be gentle. All of you," she addressed the crowd this time. "Be prepared for a rough landing." Nami directed her children over to the bleachers and had them hold on before joining them.

Tentatively, several others followed suit. Several moments after all of the people in the gym were holding on, a massive shockwave passed through the building. Milo's teeth jarred and he tasted blood as he bit his tongue. Bellemere was huddling in Luffy's chest, and he had an arm around her.

Several long seconds passed as the vibrating slowly ceased. Silence filled the gym, and then the panic set in. Someone screamed, people began shouting, and Bellemere started crying.

"Milo," Luffy said softly, "Take Bellemere and try to calm her down."

Milo took his sister as Luffy untangled her hands from his shirt. "Where are you going?" Milo asked.

"I think I know where we are," he whispered. "But… I'm not sure. Stay here."

He stood and followed Nami, who was already heading towards the doors. She paused for only a moment before thrusting it open. Sunlight streamed through the door, and Nami felt a warm breeze. The air smelled of salt. Luffy put a hand on her shoulder. "Your log pose."

Nami glanced down at her wrist. Her log pose was spinning wildly, but it was slowing down. "It's resetting. This is an island on the Grand Line. Luffy…" Nami brought a hand to her mouth, tears swimming in her eyes. "We're home."

She tore her shoulder out of Luffy's grip and sprinted out onto the sand. Luffy grinned widely. "Milo! Bella! Come here."

Mrs. Feddley grabbed Bellemere's arm. "He's crazy. We don't know what's out there. You might die."

Milo gripped Mrs. Feddley's arm, "Let her go."

"No. That lady is not fit to be a parent. That man is not either. You two are going to sit down and listen to me." Mrs. Feddley said sternly. Milo bit his lip, unsure what to do. But Bellemere had him covered. She sunk her teeth into the arm holding her.

Luffy had seen the exchange, and laughed as Mrs. Feddley tore her arm away. "You little brat," She raised her hand, intending to strike Bellemere, but Milo snatched his sister up, fleeing to a safer distance.

"It's your own fault!" Luffy called. Milo walked over to him and saw the sand outside. The others in the room had calmed down slightly, realizing that they were alive.

"Where are we?" Milo asked, putting down Bellemere.

"A beach," Luffy said. Bellemere spotted her mother lying out on the sand and darted out to join her. Milo paused, wondering what his father was going to do. Luffy left the gym, joining Nami with a whoop of joy. Milo followed, shedding his sweater in the heat.

* * *

It took a couple of hours, but eventually, all the people who were in the gym had exited and were lounging around the beach. Mr. Lovett hesitantly approached Nami and Luffy, who were huddled together and whispering.

"Excuse me, Mr. Monkey," Mr. Lovett started.

"Call me Luffy. Only Shakky calls me Monkey."

"Alright then Luffy. Do you know what's going on?" Mr. Lovett turned to Nami, "You seemed to know what was happening when the earthquake started."

"Not an earthquake," Nami said. "It shook the world. We're in another world."

"How would you know that?" Mr. Lovett asked, sitting down next to them. He noticed the thing the two of them were concerned with. The strange bracelet Nami wore.

Luffy looked up, "Because we're from here."

Nami snorted, "That was blunt."

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you mean." Mr. Lovett blinked, staring at the two of them.

"What he means," Nami said, "Is that the two of us were born and raised in this world. I met Luffy when we were seventeen, and became a sailor. When we were twenty-one, our crew was attacked by a man with Devil Fruit powers. I think he had the ability to breach the fabric of the world." Nami shrugged, "And we ended up in your world. We had no way to get back, so we stayed and made a life for ourselves."

"So… You two are from… this world? What about your children?"

"I was pregnant with Milo when we came over, and Bellemere was born over the other side." Nami responded. "We had given up any hope of returning… but we're here."

Mr. Lovett blinked a couple times, trying to grasp the information. "So what should we do?"

Nami shrugged, shifting as Luffy stood and joined the teenagers on the beach in their game. "Sit tight and wait for a ship to pass by."

"Why not make an SOS out of rocks and wait for a satellite or plane to see it." Mrs. Feddley had sauntered over, wobbling slightly in her high heels. Nami had forgone her shoes, enjoying the warmth of the sand on her bare feet.

"Because planes and satellites don't exist here. We have flying ships, the Thousand Sunny and Eneru's crazy-ass ship. I think it was called the Arc-Maxim. But I don't think we'll be seeing either of those. Last I saw, Eneru's ship was heading towards the moon, and the Thousand Sunny… It doesn't fly all the time, and only for short distances. It takes a lot of cola to fuel one jump. Franky wouldn't waste it all just to get somewhere." Nami smirked as Mrs. Feddley's face turned red.

"I don't believe you." She said, her nose in the air. "You just want attention."

Nami shrugged, "I wouldn't say so. Luffy and I are famous here."

"Are you?" She snorted, and covered her nose. "My, I do apologize for that rude sound."

Nami stood to retaliate, but was interrupted by one of the teenagers on the beach shouting. "A ship! I see one!"

"What?" Both women turned to the water, and sure enough, there was a ship.

"It's the Marines!" Luffy shouted.

Nami blinked, before digging her hands in her purse and pulling out three blue rods. "What in God's name is that?"Mrs. Feddley asked.

Nami ignored her, fitting the pieces together with practiced ease. Less than a second later her pole was complete, and she held it in the air. "You might want to back up."

"I'd do it if I were you," Luffy said, taking Bellemere down from her perch on his shoulders. "That think packs a punch."

"THUNDERBOLT TEMPO!" She shouted, and a bright light emerged from the end of her pole, erupting into the sky. "Hopefully that catches their attention. Mr. Lovett," Nami turned to the principal. "You can't use my and Luffy's names, alright?"

Mr. Lovett was staring at the blue pole in her hand. "What the hell was that?"

* * *

Milo was sitting at the water's edge, his mind reeling with the events that transpired. Andy came by, still in his basketball uniform, and sat beside him. "Some ride, huh?"

"You said it," Milo muttered, watching his father cart Bellemere around on his back. Luffy's shirt was open, revealing a nasty looking X-shaped scar. He had seen in before, but he didn't know how or when he got it. "I don't know what's going on anymore. I just want to go home and sleep."

"You said it. Hey, are you grounded?"

"No."

"Awesome," Andy rubbed his hands together. "We should go to your house for the night when we get back."

Milo smiled, "Sure. That sounds normal. Hey Tim!"

Tim looked up from his game of soccer, "Yeah?"

"When this is over, want to hang out at my house?" Milo called.

"Yeah! That sounds cool!"

Both of them turned when they heard Nami tell everyone to step back. She was holding a long blue pole pointed at the sky. His father shouted a warning, and then lightning shot out of the end of it, creating a bright flash of light. He blinked, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up with the remaining static in the air.

"What the hell was that?" They heard Mr. Lovett shout, voicing what they were thinking.

"It's my Clima-Tact," Nami said in a bored tone. "Geez, I'm rusty. Haven't used this thing in years."

"But what did you do?" Someone called out.

"It was a signal. Look, the ship is turning towards us now." It was true. The large blue vessel was coming closer. Most people were able to see the large symbol on the ship's sails.

"Now, none of you use Luffy's name." Nami said loudly. She clutched the pole closer to her face, an evil grin crossing her face. "Or else."

Milo swallowed, never having seen that expression on his mother's face before. It looked surprisingly natural there, and that scared him even more.

"What's the 'or else?'" Mrs. Feddley asked, not looking convinced.

"You get arrested for working with a pirate." Nami said, grinning. "I wouldn't test it, because the name Monkey D. Luffy is feared throughout the seas."

Milo turned to his father and saw him with a grin stretched over his face. "Luffy, your hat." She held out a hand, and Luffy placed it in her hand. She carefully placed it in her bag, pulling out a Band-Aid in the same movement. "Hold still," she ordered as Luffy began squirming. She covered up the small scar under his left eye. "Button up your shirt," she said, turning to Milo.

"You can't use your last name, alright?" She said, crouching slightly so they were eye level with each other.

"What's going on, Mom?" Milo asked. "I'm confused. You say we're in another world, and that you two are from this world. And I don't know what's going on. I'm _scared_."

Nami hugged her son. "I'm sorry Milo, for scaring you. It will take a long time to explain. Your father and I were going to tell you and your sister when Bellemere was older, and could handle the truth." She pulled back, holding Milo an arm's length away, not releasing his shoulders. "To explain it for now… do you remember the stories we would tell you about the adventurers? The captain, navigator, swordsman, doctor…"

"Yeah," Milo nodded.

"Luffy's the captain," she smiled. "I'm the navigator. Those stories are real. Can you believe that for now?"

"I don't know…" Milo turned away.

"That's alright," Nami said. "It will take a while to get used to. Just keep thinking about it." Nami released him and turned towards the water. The marine ship was less than a mile away. They seemed to stop, and something was being lowered. Probably a longboat.

"Remember," Nami said again, turning to the twenty people gathered. "Do _not _use the name Monkey D. Luffy."


	3. Chapter 3

The Marines splashed into the water a few meters from shore and pulled the longboats up the rest of the way. One of them, wearing the stripes of a Lieutenant, stood in front of the group. "I am Lieutenant Gerald Figgs. We saw your signal. Is everything alright here?"

He was met with silence and blank stares. Luffy and Nami had blended themselves in the middle of the crowd. Bellemere wouldn't let go of Luffy, scared of the strangers. Luffy hefted her up onto his hip, and Bellemere's arms wound themselves around Luffy's neck. She buried her face in his neck.

"Who are you people?" The lieutenant asked, standing taller.

"Please, sir," Mr. Lovett had stepped forward. "We… don't know where we are. Can you help us?"

The lieutenant glanced around the group. "You aren't pirates, are you?"

"Pirates?" Mr. Lovett repeated. "Of course not. We… there was a basketball practice going on. We were in New York the last time we went outside… and there was white light, and then we were here. Please sir, we have no idea what's going on."

Lieutenant Figgs blinked as he surveyed the group of people. The youngest seemed to be an orange haired girl clinging to a tall, black haired man. The majority of the group consisted of teenagers, wearing matching uniforms. And several adults thrown into the mix as well.

"Sir!" One of his subordinates saluted. "There is a large building further up the beach. It looks like it was transported there by unnatural means."

"Unnatural?" The lieutenant raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Sir?" Mr. Lovett said quietly. "We believe we came from another world. This place is very much unlike our own home."

The lieutenant turned to the principal. "Another world? Well then." He nodded to himself. "Makk! I need a transponder snail!"

Another marine ran forward, holding a snail with a receiver on its shell. He picked up the receiver, speaking quickly into it. "Major! Incident 43. Location, 445 by 10." He paused, and the snail's mouth began to move.

"Thank you for reporting. Course of action 7."

"Sir," Lieutenant Figgs saluted, and hung up, the lower ranking marine backing up and taking the snail with him.

Lieutenant Figgs turned back to Mr. Lovett, "I presume you're in charge? We have authorization to bring you to the nearest inhabited island with a Marine base. It is called Sabaody Archipelago, about a day's journey away. Please, climb into the longboat. We shall transport you there ourselves."

Mr. Lovett hesitated. "Is it wise to leave… the school?"

"This island is uninhabited. There is no place for you to get supplies." Lieutenant Figgs said. "I believe it will be best for you to come with us. It will be safer traveling with us Marines as well, because the Grand Line is crawling with filthy pirates."

Milo was standing next to his mother, and saw Mrs. Feddley swallow hard, probably remembering Nami's warning.

Mr. Lovett nodded, "Alright. We will go with you. I thank you most graciously for your kindness."

* * *

The Marine ship was bigger than it seemed on shore. The bow of the ship could easily hold double the people it was currently supporting. The basketball team, minus Andy and Tim had crowded around the railing, watching the waves. Luffy was sitting with his back against a wall, Bellemere sleeping in his lap. Milo was sitting next to his father, and the two missing basketball players were sitting across from them.

"After that, the captain threw his arm forward, the large golden ball crashing into the crazy god first, and then into the golden bell. The ball on the captain's hand cracked apart, and the bell rang for the first time in four hundred years. It fell off its perch, plummeting to the clouds below. The crazy god landed on a cloud hovering below the flying boat. The bell landed in the middle of the sea, and all the angels watched from their boats as it sunk into the waves, the crazy god fell off the cloud, landing in the water as the ship followed the bell into the waves. The crazy god hit the water soon after, and the angels sailed back to shore, happy that their home was safe from his evil rule."

"Cool," Andy said, leaning forward. "What happened to the crazy god after that?"

"He fixed his ship, and decided to search for his destined home anyway. He got the ship flying again, and decided to fly to the moon."

"Why the moon?" Tim asked.

"Because it's all white. He thought it was the cloud paradise he was looking for. That was the last any of the angels saw of him. The angels threw a huge party for the adventurers, because they were so grateful for their help in ending the war. And, they also found the gold the crazy god had taken from the city in the stomach of a giant snake. They were allowed to keep it, and their friend helped them return to the blue ocean."

"How'd they get down?" Bellemere asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Luffy laughed, "I thought you were asleep."

"But you're telling the story!"

"Right, well, they rode down on a giant floating octopus."

All four listeners laughed, and the few marines listening in choked. Nami saw them and burst out laughing. "That's what you get for eavesdropping." They had the decency to look sheepish and scramble away, returning to their duties.

"That's quite the interesting story," The lieutenant said, appearing beside them. "Where did you hear that?"

Luffy grinned, and Milo spoke up. "Dad's been telling that story since my sister and I were young."

"…Interesting…" The lieutenant said, eyeing Milo. "What was your name, sonny?"

"Milo, sir."

"Ah." He turned to Luffy. "May I listen in? It seems like quite the adventure these people are having. Nami glanced over, looking concerned, but Luffy grinned.

"Sure, why not? Sit down."

Figgs sat down between Andy and Tim. "They sound like pirates."

Bellemere cracked open an eye, "My favorite pirate is Captain Hook." She muttered.

Figgs raised an eyebrow, "Who now?"

Andy laughed, "He's not a real pirate," Andy explained. "He's a character from a movie. He's a cartoon pirate, with a hook for a hand and is followed by a huge crocodile."

"Car…toon?" Figgs sounded confused. "A crocodile? A hook hand?"

Andy nodded, "He's not real, just a story made up for kids."

"Hmm, that doesn't sit well with me."

"Why not?" Tim asked.

"Because there is currently a pirate on the loose, who calls himself Crocodile. He has a hook for a hand, just like the character you were speaking of earlier." Figgs explained.

"Ohh, that sounds interesting," Milo said, leaning forward. "Can you tell us more?"

Lieutenant Figgs looked surprised at their enthusiasm. "Well, this man was a former Warlord. He operated on the island kingdom of Alabasta. Unfortunately, because of his position there, we didn't have many marines stationed. We later found out that he was running an underground operation called Baroque Works, and was taking over the kingdom."

"What's a warlord?" Andy asked.

"A pirate working under the World Government." Figgs explained. "He was taken down by Vice-Admiral Smoker, who was a captain at the time."

"Although," One of the marines passed by, "It's said that Crocodile was actually defeated by Straw-hat."

Lieutenant Figgs glared at the Marine. "Stand down." He turned back to his listeners. "That's only a rumor."

"Who's Straw-hat?" Tim asked.

"The Pirate King," Figgs muttered. "He's been in hiding for the past sixteen years, but there have been sightings of his crew. They come in every few years."

"Pirate King?" Milo exclaimed. "How the hell does that work?"

"Well," Another marine, the one called Makk, stepped over. "There's a treasure, called the One Piece. Whoever finds that becomes the Pirate King. Straw-hat found it." Makk shrugged, "But like the Lieutenant said, the crew has vanished. There's a lot of speculation, but the main theory is that the Captain died and the crew split up."

Milo fell silent. The One Piece. That was the treasure his parents had used in their stories. And then on the beach yesterday. His mother claimed that the story was real. Milo bit his lip, glancing at his father. Nami had taken his straw hat and hidden it. Milo shook his head, expelling the thoughts from his mind for now.

"LAND HO!" The cry echoed from the crow's nest, and Milo was on his feet, followed by Andy and Tim. They rushed to the railing and saw an approaching shore.

Nami joined Milo at the railing, putting an arm over his shoulder. "Sabaody Archipelago," she whispered. "The Red Line."

They docked, and the other worlders were escorted to the Marine Base on the island. "Sir!" Lieutenant Figgs saluted as they were greeted by a large man. The large man seemed happy, a smile permanently fixed on his face.

"Hello there, I am Vice Admiral Gadding, the commander of this base. Now, I have been informed of your predicament, and we shall do everything we can to return you to your home. For now, you shall have free reign of the island, although I advise you to be careful. This is a place where many pirates stop. Do not make eye contact with people you don't know. Return here for meals and sleeping quarters, and you shall be fine." Vice Admiral Gadding smiled at the group. "Is that clear?"

Mr. Lovett nodded, "Yes. Thank you for your hospitality sir. Please forgive us for our lack of response. These recent events have…"

"Yes, I'm sure you are scared. Please, be assured we will do everything in our power to make your stay comfortable." The Vice Admiral's smile didn't waver.

* * *

They were shown their sleeping quarters and the mess hall, before being given the opportunity to explore the island. Milo stayed with his parents, Tim and Andy sticking to him as their parents didn't stay and watch their basketball practice.

"I don't like this," Nami said to Luffy. "They're being too kind. I never knew the marines to be this accommodating, even for ordinary citizens. There's something going on."

"I don't know," Luffy said, shifting Bellemere, who was clinging to his back. "Maybe they mean well. I don't think they recognize us."

"Yeah, but Milo looks like you when you were that age! I don't want my children getting hurt." Nami replied.

"Mom, Dad," Milo interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, Milo's parents." Andy echoed. "What's going on?"

Nami sighed, and pointed up the hill they were climbing. "Up there is a friend of ours. Hopefully she's still there."

"You know people in this world?" Tim questioned.

"We explained it to Milo," Luffy said, looking back at the three teenagers. "Nami and I are from this world."

None of them responded. As the group reached the crest of a hill, the teenagers gasped in amazement while Luffy and Nami froze. There was a large ship, with an enclosed lookout tower and a lion figurehead. There was no flag or sails, but Luffy and Nami recognized it immediately.

"The Sunny!" Nami exclaimed. Milo, Andy, and Tim ran ahead to get a better look. "What's it doing here?!"

"Maybe it's like that marine guy said," Luffy said. "The crew split up… when we vanished…"

"Oi!" Nami shouted at the teenagers. "Be careful! Don't go near it!" They followed them down the hill, arriving at a plateau at the bottom. "There could be people guarding it."

"YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT!" someone shouted, jumping off the ship and landing hard in front of them. Milo, Andy, and Tim backed up. Luffy put down Bellemere and Nami pulled her away, standing protectively in front of them. "THIS IS BIG BRO'S SHIP! NONE SHALL DEFILE IT!"

"Duval?" Nami questioned, "That you?"

The blond man preparing to attack paused, looking at Nami. "How do you know my name?"

Luffy laughed, "It is you! Man, it's been a while!"

Duval looked curiously at Luffy. He stared at him for several seconds before his jaw dropped, realization spreading across his face. "I DON"T BELIEVE IT! BIG BRO LUFFY! YOU"RE ALIVE." Duval leapt at Luffy, encasing him in his arms. "I DON"T BELIEVE IT! WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!"

Duval was crying, sniffing snot back into his nose and wiping his eyes. "It was so sad! Zoro came back and said you were gone! Nami too! Where… What happened?!"

"Um..." Luffy pushed the crying man away from himself. "That's a bit of a long story."

"Honestly," Nami stepped forward and hit Duval on the head. "Pick yourself up. We didn't leave because we wanted to. We had no choice, and had no idea how to get back! But we're back now. So stop crying."

It took a minute, but Duval managed to calm himself down. "Shakky still owns the bar," he said. "Let's go up, and then you can explain what happened." He paused, noticing the children for the first time. "Who are you?"

"Uh…" Milo started, but Nami cut him off. "This is Milo, my son. And his friends Andy and Tim." She gestured to each person. "And Bellemere, my daughter."

"You have kids?" Duval exclaimed. "Wow! That's a surprise."

"Oi," Nami threatened. Duval looked away.

"Well, follow me," Duval said.

Nami turned to Milo, "You can go explore the rest of the island if you want. There's a theme park over there," She pointed its direction. "Remember not to use our names, and don't use your last name."

"Can I go with you?" Bellemere asked. Luffy knelt down and she scrambled onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Milo nodded at his mother's commands, "I won't. But… when you're finished talking, can you explain to me what's going on?"

Nami nodded. "When we clear this up, we'll tell you everything. I promise." Milo began walking away, hearing his mother order the man, Duval, to get going.

* * *

"So," Tim said. "Where to first?"


	4. Chapter 4

Shakky's bar looked the same as it was the last time they had seen her. Duval led the way, pushing open the doors and holding them open as Nami and Luffy came through. The counter was empty, and the back door was slightly ajar, "Shakky!" Nothing on the interior had changed either. It was comforting to be somewhere this familiar.

"I'm busy Duval!" Shakky's voice came from the back room.

"This is kinda important," He replied, glancing at the three people with him. "Really important."

"Tell me later." Shakky said. "Keep an eye on the ship, I heard a marine ship came by and dropped off a bunch of people. Franky will be angry if anything happens to it."

"But… Just come out. You have to see."

There was shuffling from the back room, and Shakky came out, looking annoyed. "What's so important you're going to stop guarding the ship and risk pissing off Franky?" She demanded, slapping a towel in his direction.

"Them," Duval said meekly, pointing at Luffy, Nami and Bellemere.

Shakky rounded on them, "And if you claim to be the Straw-hat Pirates wanting their ship back I can assure you I will beat your ass to the Marine base."

Bellemere blinked, shrinking back as Shakky stalked forward. "Who's that?"

Nami glanced at her daughter, "She's a friend," She said, smiling.

"She's scary," Bellemere said, hiding her head behind Luffy's and digging her fingers harder into his shoulders.

"Who says I'm your friend," Shakky demanded, jabbing Luffy in the chest. "You're just people pretending to be them!" Then Shakky froze, poking Luffy in the chest again.

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed, as Shakky's finger didn't do any damage, instead bouncing back as it his rubber body. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Shakky paled considerably, and then hit him over the head with her towel. "You… you… you're alive! But… Zoro and Sanji… They said… you and Nami…" Shakky turned to Nami, who smiled at her. "You died!"

"That's what the marines said too," Nami said, "We vanished, and are presumed dead."

Shakky sank down onto a bar stool, her towel dropping onto the floor. "But… where were you?" She asked weakly, her voice trembling. Her eyes were blank, but as she calmed down, they started to show suspicion. "Where were you?" She demanded this time.

Nami sat down on the couch, Luffy taking a seat a few stools from Shakky and pulled Bellemere up onto his lap, and began to speak.

* * *

Milo followed Andy as he walked around the island, stopping every few steps to stare at something new. More than once, Milo had crashed into Andy's back when he stopped. "Hey Andy, where are we going?" Tim was walking beside Milo, his head on a constant swivel.

"I don't know," Andy said, "Everything here is so cool! It's not every day you come to another world!"

Milo cracked a smile as Tim slung an arm over his shoulder. "Personally, I think we were drugged at lunch, and we're all hallucinating."

"That's what you think?" Andy laughed, "I think Milo's dad's stories were true, and he was stealing them from another adventurer. What do you think, Milo?"

Milo paused before approaching a nearby vendor, an elderly lady selling wind chimes. "Excuse me, but could I ask you something?"

The old lady looked up, "That depends, young man. What is it you want to ask about?"

"Uh, the Pirate King. We're new in this area, and have heard rumors. Could you clear it up for us?" Milo asked.

The old woman tilted her head to the side and stared at Milo before reaching under the table and pulling out a stack of papers. "Here is the Pirate King's crew." She lowered her voice. "I don't know much, but they vanished about sixteen years ago. That's all I know. Now, don't go saying that name out loud. It's bad luck, and the marines might hear you."

Milo glanced down at the stack of papers in his hand, before handing them to Tim. "Put these in your bag, will you?" Tim took them and Milo turned back to the old woman. "Thanks…"

She grinned at them. "I've seen them once, nineteen years ago next week. You see, they've vanished before, but came back all the same. Well, that's not true. They came back stronger." Milo nodded and began to turn away. "Hold it, young man. What's your name?"

"Milo," Milo said.

"No, your other name. Your family name." The old lady pressed.

"Um… Mom said not to…" Milo began.

"You look like him," She said quietly. "You look like Monkey D. Luffy."

That caused Milo to whip his head around and stare at her. "How do you know my dad's name?" he demanded.

She grinned, "So that's why they vanished. And they never told you either."

"Told me what?" Milo leaned over the table.

The old lady pointed at Tim's bag. "Take a look at his wanted poster. Is your father on the island?"

"Tha-that's no concern of yours." But the old lady got her answer.

"Don' worry, kid. I won't go telling the marines. That just means they're back. It would be great to have the Pirate King roaming the seas again. Don't listen to the Marines when they say he's the devil. He's helped a lot more people than he's given credit for." She smiled, a wistful look in her eyes. "Like the time he saved my home. I'm glad he's okay."

Milo stayed silent, not sure what to say. She shooed him away from her stall, telling him to be careful with his name.

* * *

"What was that about?" Tim asked as they continued walking, this time looking for a secluded place to sit and look through the papers the old lady had given them.

"She knew your father's name," Andy reminded. "We're from another world. That's not possible."

"I don't know," Milo said. "Maybe Mom and Dad were telling the truth when they said they were from here. They seemed to know that weird looking guy down by that ship."

"Your parents have been acting strange since this started," Tim observed, tapping his chin. "I mean, your mom made lightning. That was pretty badass.

"Thanks," Milo said sarcastically. He rubbed his face, feeling tired. "Let's just find our way back to my parents and ask them about those papers."

"Aww," Andy whined. "I wanted to keep looking around."

"Well then you can keep looking," Milo said. "I'm going back." He turned around and ran head first into another person, both of them falling to the ground.

* * *

Shakky lit a cigarette, inhaling the smoke deeply. "That's quite the story. Another world, you say?"

Luffy nodded, "Yeah. It's a strange place. They don't have pirates, or transponder snails, and they have better technology. Hey Nami, can I have my hat back?"

"That's about right," Nami said, reaching into her purse and pulling out Luffy's precious straw hat. She held it out and he grabbed at it eagerly, placing it back on his head with the utmost care. "What bugs me the most is that they rely on machines to predict the weather. It was almost torture having to tell the masses the wrong weather."

"Then why did you keep doing it?" Shakky asked, blowing out a mouthful of smoke.

"It was really good pay." Nami replied, tilting her head and looking at Shakky as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Shakky just laughed, shaking her head. "Well, it really is you. And that girl. Your daughter?"

Nami nodded. "Her name is Bellemere."

"I see." Shakky looked out the window and turned back to face Duval. "You might want to get back to the ship. There are more coming down the hill."

Duval stood and stared at the hill. "I think it's more kids. I'll go scare them off."

Nami watched as Duval ran out, yelling and waving his arms at the trespassers. She recognized them as members of the basketball team and Mason, standing near the front of the group. She grinned as they ran off, screaming loud enough for her to hear through the walls of the bar. Once they had disappeared from sight, Duval climbed back up the Thousand Sunny, sitting on a chair on the deck.

"How is everyone doing?" Nami asked, as Luffy stood and lifted a sleeping Bellemere in his arms. She moved to the edge of the couch so he could lay their daughter on the softer surface. "Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Brook, Franky."

"Zoro is doing well. He has a daughter, but I don't know who the mother is. Since Usopp doesn't have a real bounty, he went back to Syrup Village. Last I heard, he was living with Kaya and had twins. A boy and a girl. Sanji's wanted poster wasn't that recognizable either. He went back to the Baratie. Chopper went back to Drum Kingdom and is continuing his studies with Doctorine. I don't know where Franky and Robin are, but they're together, and I think they might have a kid. It was either that, or Robin was getting fat." She laughed lightly. "And Brook went back to see Laboon. Last I heard he was staying with the old man who lives at the entrance to the Grand Line."

Shakky sighed, "Sorry, but's that's all the information I can give you. I see Zoro the most. He stops by frequently."

"Why only him?" Luffy asked.

"FRANKY AND ROBIN GOT MARRIED!" Nami shouted, catching a different detail. Her yelling caused Bellemere to shift slightly in her sleep. Nami ran a hand down her cheek, urging her to stay asleep.

Shakky shrugged, "He's the Pirate King's first mate. He's not safe wherever he goes, so he constantly travels. He's just like Rayleigh."

"At least they're all okay," Nami said, looking relieved. A moment later, she turned her gaze to Bellemere's sleeping face. "I wonder if they would be willing to come back." She whispered, mostly to herself. But Luffy heard her and placed a hand on her head reassuringly. She blinked back tears and offered up a watery smile.

* * *

Milo rubbed his nose, wincing. Behind him, he could hear Andy and Tim laughing at him and his misfortune. In front of him, sitting on the ground as well was a girl about his age, copying his movements. She looked normal enough, dark hair looking almost blue in the sunlight. They made eye contact, and her green eyes bore into his with annoyance.

"Geez, watch where you're going, dumbass." She stood, stomping her black boots and brushing dust off her cargo pants. Another strange feature caught his eye. A white sword sheath hung from her hip, and the hilt of the sword was visible for an instant. When she lowered her arm, it was hidden from view, leaving only the strangely colored sheath in his sight. "And stop staring. It's creepy."

"Sorry," Milo managed, apologizing for both her complaints and averting his eyes. Tim reached down, and gripping his arm and pulled him to his feet. "I'll keep that in mind."

The strange girl glanced at him, tilting her head slightly. "I don't recognize you. Are you new here?" Her demeanor had completely changed, going from angry to curious.

"Is it that obvious?" Milo muttered, taking his hand away from his nose. It hurt, but he didn't think it was broken. "We're from far away."

She laughed, and held out a hand. "Yeah, it is that obvious. You stand out. Nice to meet you."

"Um, likewise," Milo took the offered hand. She had a really strong grip. Milo had to stop himself from wincing, and possible insulting her. She had a sword, and even if she didn't know how to use it, it could be deadly. Don't piss her off. That would be bad.

Andy and Tim sniggered behind him, either ignoring or oblivious to the potential dangers she posed. "We're going to keep exploring. See you later!" The two of them took off, leaving Milo alone with a stranger.

"Oi! You cowards!" He shouted after them.

"That's not the best thing to shout around here," the girl warned, her voice serious now. "There are loads of pirates around here. Some might take offense to that, even if it wasn't directed at them."

Milo's eyes widened, and he looked around. No one seemed to be approaching, but Milo didn't relax. She seemed to understand Milo's worry, because she grinned. "Don't worry. We're too close to the Marine Base for any of them to take action, if they're brave enough to even come this close in the first place."

"That's reassuring," Milo said, turning back to face her. "Who are you?"

"It's polite to introduce yourself before asking for another's name." The girl replied, looking serious. At least she hadn't changed her mood again.

Milo blinked at the response. "Sorry, my name is Milo."

She nodded. "My name is Kuina. It's nice to meet you, Milo."

* * *

Inside the Marine Base, Vice Admiral Gadding was pacing, several lower ranking officers standing I a line at attention. "I want you to keep an eye on the people who came through. If Admiral Akainu is right, then one of his men didn't kill Straw-hat. Only sent him to another world. Not, this wouldn't be a problem, but when Whitebeard used his Devil Fruit powers that last time in the War of the Best, he might have opened up a crack between worlds. This is bad, because these cracks are getting bigger. And people might be able to slip back."

He stopped pacing to glare at his subordinates. "The Pirate King might come back. Investigate every man and woman that is even slightly suspicious."

"Yes Sir!" Everyone snapped to attention at his order, saluting.

"Good. You are dismissed." The line dispersed, many of them fleeing the wrath that was to come. Less than a minute later, the Vice Admiral was alone. He sat down at the long table and began chewing on his fingernail.

There was that one couple, the orange haired woman and the man with the bandage on his face. Lieutenant Figgs had warned him about them. He never got their names, always avoiding the topic. But the lieutenant had listened to one of the stories the man was telling to some of the kids. It sounded too much like Skypiea, if the rumors they were collecting had truth to them. And Pirate King Luffy had been to Skypiea.

Gadding bit off the tip of his fingernail in anger, spitting the broken piece at the wall and using his Devil Fruit powers to make the small projectile faster than a bullet. It left a small, smoking hole in the wall.


	5. Chapter 5

Kuina led Milo through the marketplace. "So, where are you from them, seeing as you're from 'Far Away'?"

"Long Island, in New York." Milo replied, sticking close to Kuina. The more they walked, the more people seemed to appear, until they had to duck and weave through the crowd to continue moving forward.

"There are more people here because it's closer to the public docks and away from the Marine Base." Kuina explained, noticing Milo's distressed looks. "A lot of these people are pirates." Milo made sure not to lose sight of Kuina for the rest of the way, thoughts of getting lost and attacked by pirates flitting through his mind. "So," Kuina continued. "Which sea is Long Island in?" She grabbed his wrist and yanked him to the side, pulling him off his course. Looking up, he saw he was about to walk into a very large and thick man.

"The Atlantic Ocean," Milo replied to her question.

Kuina paused, "So is that in North, South, East, or West Blue?"

Milo took a second to think. "East," he replied finally. It seemed logical enough. The Atlantic bordered the east coast.

"Cool," Kuina said, not noticing his pause. "I've only been to West Blue and North Blue once. Dad and I spend a lot of our time in East Blue or Sputh Blue.."

"Hm," Milo responded, most of what she was saying going over his head. "That's interesting. Why are you telling me?"

Kuina shrugged, "Cause you're listening to me. Usually, I ramble on until they leave. But you haven't left yet. Dad doesn't listen much when I talk nonsense. He just sleeps. But it might be that he's heard it all before."

"Don't you have friends you can talk to?"

"Sure, but I hardly ever see them. They live in East Blue, and I see them when Dad visits his friend Usopp. They're his kids. Brandon and Merry." Kuina grinned, "They love listening to my adventures. Their Dad tells them all the same story again, because when Usopp was young he was part of a pirate crew. In fact, my dad was part of the same crew, so I've heard the stories too. Although, Usopp is a lot older than me, and he's had more adventures. I don't think he's told them everything yet." Kuina just shrugged. "They're eleven, so anything can amaze them."

It took a moment for everything Kuina had just said to sink into his head. "Oh. My dad told adventure stories to me when I was younger."

Kuina glanced at him, dragging him out of the main crowd and into a small grassy plain, leading to a beach. "Was your dad and adventurer?""

"No," Milo said firmly, but faltered. "Maybe."

Kuina tilted her head, "Don't you know?"

"My dad works at the docks, and has worked there since before I was born, as far as I know. Mom works at the News station, as a weather reporter. Both of them are ordinary. But…" Milo trailed off.

"But?" Kuina prompted.

"But he's been acting strange." Milo ran a hand through his dark hair and frowned. "Both of them have. They've been… vague. Haven't been explaining things, not answering my questions."

Kuina stared at him, "Acting strange?"

Milo nodded, "That's the best way to pit it. Bellemere doesn't seem to care, but she's only twelve."

"Bellemere?" Kuina repeated. "Who's that? The name sounds familiar."

"She's my sister," Milo answered. "How would the name Bellemere sound familiar? It's a very unusual name."

Kuina shrugged. "Dunno. But it does sound familiar."

Milo took the answer, and they began talking about brighter subjects.

* * *

The two of them had seated themselves on the beach. "-so then Dad woke up. And waking up Dad like that is a really bad idea because he's angry when he's tired. So he stands and grabs his sword, but he doesn't draw it. No, he swings it at the guy and knocked him clean off the ship! It was then that these guys realized who he was. My god, they shit themselves in terror. I don't think I've ever seen someone run that fast before in my life! And then I'm off to the side laughing my ass off."

"What happened next?" Milo asked, enthralled in her tale.

"Nothing interesting, really. With the sailors gone, Dad had to navigate, but he got us lost. We ended up near the calm belt! Shit would have gone down if we had actually drifted into it."

Milo nodded, pretending to know what a calm belt was. "That sounds interesting."

"It was a good day," Kuina said, grinning. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "What's something interesting that's happened to you?"

Milo laughed sheepishly, "Nothing really. I spend most of my day at school. Got into a fight a couple of days back, but after what you've told me, it was nothing. Really!" Kuina had grinned knowingly. "I'm serious! There wasn't even any blood."

Kuina's smile fell, "Well, that goes sound boring." She stood up from her spot and stretched. "It was fun talking to you, but I should probably find my dad. If I'm not too careful, he'll wander off and get lost."

"Your father has a really bad sense of direction," Milo commented, Kuina nodding in agreement. "By the way," he started, as they began climbing back up the hill. "Where are we, anyway?"

They reached the crest of the hill, and Kuina jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "The park is that way."

"Do you know how to get to… well, I don't know the name. There's a building on the top of a hill, and a ship in the water at the bottom." Milo tried to explain where he wanted to go.

"Shakky's Bar?" Milo didn't know the name, but his parents were talking about someone named Shakky. "Why do you want to go there?"

"My parents and sister are there. They told me to meet them there."

Kuina nodded, "I know where it is. If you want, I can bring you there."

"That would be helpful," Milo said, smiling.

Kuina grabbed Milo's hand again and began dragging him down the lane. A few minutes later, Kuina paused, staring at a man standing near one of the vendors. "Who dyes their hair green?" Milo whispered to Kuina.

"It's not dyed," Kuina said, releasing his wrist. "That's my father." She darted through the crowd while Milo stayed where he was. There wasn't enough of a crowd for him to be a disturbance anymore if he stayed where he was. Kuina's father had sounded terrifying when she spoke of him, and Milo had hoped to not meet him. "Hey, Milo!" Kuina was waving him over. Her father had turned to observe him as well. His face was stern, and there was a scar running vertically through his left eye.

Milo took a deep breath and made his way over, hoping the larger man couldn't see his fear. He stopped a few feet from the pair of them and tried to smile. "Hey…"

"Hey Milo, this is my dad. Dad, this is Milo." Kuina introduced, gesturing to each person when appropriate.

"Roronoa Zoro," the green haired man clarified, sounding a lot more serious and laid back than his bubbly daughter.

"Uh, Milo. But… Kuina just told you that…" He didn't meet the man's eyes, something else catching his attention. At his hip, there were swords. Now, he wouldn't have been concerned if there was only one. He had heard Kuina's stories, but she never mentioned he owned three of them.

"Milo's lost, so I'm bringing him up to Shakky's." Kuina told her father as the three of them began walking.

"Oh?" Zoro asked, glancing behind him at the scrawny teenager. "Why do you want to go there?"

"My parents are meeting me there," Milo said, taking another deep breath and shoving his fear aside for the moment.

"When did you arrive here?" Another question was thrown his way.

"Here?"

"This island."

"Oh. Well, this morning." Milo answered.

"Is that so… Tell me, kid. Did you arrive on the marine ship?" Zoro narrowed his eye, towering over Milo.

"Well, I did. But's that's because we were on a deserted island. They saved us, and are trying to get us back home." Milo didn't like the look Kuina was giving him. "We're not part of them."

"We're?" Kuina questioned. "Do you mean your parents?"

"Them," Milo nodded, "And the others that came with us. I think there's twenty one in all."

They fell silent, Milo letting out a breath of relief. There was no other disturbance until they came across another group of people. Milo groaned. The Feddleys. And a couple of other adults. Parents of the kids on the basketball team were sitting around a table in front of a café.

One of the men, his father's coworker, recognized Milo. "Hey there!"

Zoro looked at Milo. "You know him?"

"Yeah… He's one of Dad's friends." He waved to let the other man know he heard, before turning back to Zoro and Kuina. "Thanks for your help, but I can get back from here."

"Are you sure?" Kuina asked.

"Yeah, besides, it's not dark yet. I might spend some more time in town. Find Andy and Tim."

Kuina nodded hesitantly. "Alright. If you're sure. I'll be here tomorrow, too. Try and find me if you're still here, kay?"

Milo nodded, "I will."

She grinned, "Great. See you then." She pivoted and grabbed her father's wrist, leading him away in the same fashion she had led Milo around.

* * *

"Yo, Milo. What have you been up to?" Simon was about the same age as Milo's father, and both of them worked at the docks. "That girl was cute."

"Her name was Kuina," Milo said, taking a seat at their table. "I ran into her. Literally." He rubbed his nose, remembering the pain.

Simon laughed, slapping a now red Milo on his back. "That's just like you! Your dad said that was the same way he met your mother."

"Dad said he met Mom when he was dropped from the beak of a giant bird and landed in front of her. He then said she proceeded to blame him for stealing something and left him at the mercy of a couple of thugs." Milo said. Simon burst out laughing.

Mrs. Feddley, who was sitting at a nearby table, snorted. Mason was staring after the green-haired swordsman.

"Well," Simon said when he had finished laughing. "I guess that's one way to put it. He told me he just got lucky; bumping into her while he was traveling. They met when they were seventeen, right?"

"Something like that." Milo muttered.

"Actually," Nami's voice seemed to come from the air. Milo whipped his head to the side, seeing his mother and Bellemere standing beside their table. "Milo's got it right." She grabbed a couple of chairs from an empty table and dragged them over, sitting down. Bellemere followed suit, looking tired.

Simon raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't seem too possible."

Nami blinked at him, "I've seen crazier stuff."

"That's true," Simon said. "Luffy getting someone like you? That's the craziest thing I've heard."

Nami shushed him, glancing around. No one seemed to have heard. "Remember," Nami hissed. "Don't use our names."

Simon sighed, "Why not. You said not to at the beach, and I respected that. But you haven't told us anything except that you two are from this place. Now, I don't mean to be a skeptic or anything, but that's kinda hard to believe."

"We're famous here," Nami shot back, still whispering, "And not in a good way. You go up to anyone and say either of our names, you'll probably get arrested." There was venom on Nami's voice.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I'll keep quiet." Milo smirked when Simon gave up. He had been on her bad side once before, and she made sure he'd never forget it. "Hey, did you know Milo met a girl?"

Nami blinked once before rounding on her son. "You met a girl?" She almost squealed.

"Traitor," Milo whispered, before nodding lightly at his mother's accusation. "I got lost. She helped me. That's it."

Nami huffed, blowing a stray hair out of her face. "So you didn't keep her?"

"Mom!" Milo exclaimed, turning red again. Nami laughed and mussed up his hair.

"Well, it's something right?"

"MOM!"

Simon and the three others at the table were sniggering at Milo's misfortune. "So, what's her name?"

"Kuina," Milo muttered under his breath.

"That's sweet," Nami wrapped and arm over his shoulder and pulled him closer. "There's hope for my socially awkward son yet."

Milo didn't bother responding, slamming his head down on the table instead.

A few minutes later, a waitress came by their table, bearing a tray full of colorful looking drinks. She placed each drink in front of the four people who were there before Milo, Nami, and Bellemere. "That will be 128 beris, please." She said when she finished placing their orders.

"What?"

"128 beris," she repeated. She crossed her arms, "There are a lot of thieves here, and I know how to deal with them. Are you going to pay?"

Milo rolled his head to the side, so his cheek was resting on the table. He could see his mother's face from his viewpoint. He watched as a wicked grin spread across her face, similar to the one she wore yesterday on the beach.

"You didn't know they used a different currency here," Nami stated. "I have enough to cover your drinks…" Simon looked relieved, "But it's gonna cost you."

"You're kidding me," Simon said, knowing how much Nami loved swindling people out of money. "What do you want?"

Nami reached into the bag she was carrying, not her purse, Milo noted. Pulling out a wad of bills, she waved them under Simon's nose. "You owe me a favor," Nami said firmly, counting out the correct amount and handing them to the waitress. She left with a huff.

"How the hell did you get money from this world?" Simon asked, staring at the remaining bills in Nami's hand.

"I had a stash, and came into town to do some shopping. I'm not having my kids wear the same thing every day. That's gross." Nami said.

"The Marines gave us stuff to wear," One of the other adults said.

"Yeah," Nami replied, "But I'm not having my kids wear stuff with the Marine logo on it."

Mrs. Feddley was listening in, and stared at her husband. He just shrugged, and the three of them slipped away.

* * *

"So where have you been?" One of the women sitting at their table asked, glancing at Nami.

"Visiting an old friend," Nami replied. "What a conversation that was. I found out several of my friends have had kids! I shouldn't be surprised, and I'm sure if we meet them again they'll be surprised I have kids. It's hard to be away for so long." She sighed.

"Hey there," A new voice said, coming from behind them. Milo jumped, recognizing the voice.

"Kuina!" Milo exclaimed, twisting in his seat to face his new found friend. "What are you doing here?"

"I was coming back and saw you. Thought I'd say hi," She tilted her head and glanced at Nami. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

"This is my mother," Milo explained. "Mom, this –"

"That's the girl you were talking to earlier!" Simon accused.

Kuina grinned, "Yup. Dad got lost again, so I'm just retracing my steps. You haven't seen him, have you?" She directed her last question at Milo.

He shook his head, "Sorry."

"Eh," Kuina shrugged. "He's not hard to miss. If you see a green-haired swordsman wandering about, give me a shout, would you?" Milo nodded, and beside him, Nami choked on the drink she had taken from Simon. "Are you okay, Ma'am?" Kuina asked, as Nami began to cough.

A moment later, her coughing subsided, "I'm fine. What did you just say? Green-haired swordsman?" Kuina nodded. "Does he carry around three swo–" Nami trailed off as she saw the sword Kuina carried. "Hold on. That's the Wado Ichimonji."

Kuina took a step back, her hand hovering over the hilt protectively. "What of it?" She asked defensively.

Nami looked her in the eyes. "Your Roronoa Zoro's daughter, aren't you." This time Kuina grasped the hilt and started to slide the sword out of the sheath. "Hold on, I'm not a Marine or a bounty hunter." Nami waved her hands slightly. "My name is Nami. I'm his friend!"

"Nami?" Kuina stood up straighter, sliding her sword back into place. "The navigator?"

Nami nodded eagerly. "Where's your father right now?"

Kuina blinked, and looked around herself before pointing. "I see him down there. He's coming this way, so if you want to talk to him…" She darted off, intending to drag him over to the café.

* * *

Zoro arrived a minute later, and Nami stood. Her heart was pounding. _After all this time. Sixteen god damn years._ Zoro froze when he saw her, Milo and Bellemere watching curiously with the rest of the adults.

Zoro opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking like a fish, before forcing out a word. "Nami?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Nami?" Zoro's voice was strangled, eyes widening. His expression would have been comical if it were in any other situation, but right now the expression on Zoro's face was terrifying.

Nami's hands were trembling as she took a hesitant step forward. She knew that meeting with the rest of the crew would happen sooner or later. In fact, she was hoping it would be sooner. But she also knew it would be hard to convince them that they were really back. The thought of the imposters passed through her mind, Demalo Black and his crew that posed as them when they went into hiding last time.

"Zoro…" Nami tried to keep the worst of the trembling out of her voice. "Is… that you?"

Zoro took a step back, his face full of confusion, as well as an emotion that she had only ever seen him express a few times before. An emotion completely foreign to him. Fear. Zoro was scared.

But then his expression changed. Anger. "You do look a lot like her." Zoro started, placing a hand on the hilt of one of his swords. "That's quite a convincing costume. You've made a big mistake though. She's gone."

The ring of metal on metal sounded as he drew his sword, the noise snapping Nami out of her stupor. Recognizing the danger, she spun on her heel and leapt over an empty table, flipping it on its side just in time to shield herself from an attack. The sword tore through the wood, an inch from Nami's head.

"Mom!" Milo shouted, his voice cracking. Kuina grabbed his arm when he began to rise, efficiently holding him in place. She was a lot stronger than she looked. She grabbed Bellemere as well, who was copying Milo's actions.

"Are you stupid?" Kuina hissed. "He's mad." She glared down at him, digging her nails into his arm. Milo glared back. "You never told me your mother was pretending to be a Straw-hat."

Milo yanked his arm from her grip, her nails leaving bloody scratches when she refused to let go. "I have no idea what you're talking about, or what the hell is going on. But that man is trying to hurt my mother, and I'm not going to let him."

Milo looked around frantically, searching for something that could be used as a weapon. He spotted Nami's bag, and remembered the strange pole she always kept with her. The one she used to shoot lightning from. That might help her. He rummaged through the bag until he found the three pieces, clutching them tightly in his hand, and turned back to the fight.

"He's not using his full strength," Kuina whispered to herself.

Milo ignored her, his eyes trained on Nami, who was swinging a chair at Kuina's father. Zoro cut the chair in half. "Mom!" Milo shouted again, gaining the attention of both Nami and Zoro. He also caught the attention of the many spectators who had gathered to watch the fight. He held up the pieces, and she held out a hand. Milo threw her the pieces, and Nami caught them with a grin. She had them assembled and used the weapon to block Zoro's next attack.

Zoro froze, his sword resting against the very, very familiar weapon. The one that Nami had with her when she vanished. He met Nami's eyes, the soft brown boring into his own green. "Hi." She said.

He stepped back, holding his sword limply at his side. "Hi…"

"Zoro!" Nami almost squealed, launching herself over to him and tackling him around the middle. They both fell to the ground, Nami wrapped around Zoro, not intending to let go. "My god! You have no IDEA how much I missed you. Well maybe you do… But it's actually you!"

Zoro was sitting up, propping himself up on his elbows, just staring at the mass of orange hair in front of him. It was then Milo remembered his mother mentioning the name 'Zoro' before. She was scolding him for fighting… was this the same guy she was talking about? He seemed like someone who enjoyed fighting and wouldn't sit back when he was attacked. Those three swords he was carrying only strengthened his suspicions.

Zoro stood, pulling Nami up with him. Nami was crying, actual tears dripping down her face. She stepped back, wiping them away. "We didn't die, Zoro," she said quietly, her knees shaking. "I don't know what happened, but Luffy and I woke up in another world."

* * *

Kuina backed away from the two of them, coming to stand beside Milo. "Dad told me about his crew," she said, one hand resting on the hilt of her sword again. "Nami was the person to join after him. She was the navigator. But Dad also told me she's dead."

"But she's standing right in front of him!" Milo exclaimed. "How can they not recognize each other?"

"They're the Straw-hat pirates," Kuina said. "They get imposters a lot."

"Is Mommy going to be okay?" Bellemere asked, climbing out of her chair and walking towards the two.

Milo grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "Stay here, that man could be dangerous." He glanced up at Kuina, "No offense."

She just shrugged.

"Mommy!" Bellemere called out, struggling in Milo's grip. "Lemme go!"

"Sorry, Bellemere. No." Milo pulled her back.

"Mommy?" Zoro questioned, looking over at the two of them for the first time. "Bellemere? That's…" He turned back to Nami.

She smiled, beckoning Bellemere to come over. Milo released her. "This is my daughter. I named her after my mother."

Milo blinked. That was new. He didn't know he had grandparents.

"We were going to name Milo after Ace, but… Luffy decided against it." Nami continued, picking up Bellemere when she reached her.

"Luffy's here too?" Zoro exclaimed. "Hold on. What do you mean, name Milo…" He looked over at the boy. "That's your name?"

Milo nodded, filing the name Ace away in his memory too.

"So that means… their father is…" Zoro was pointing between Bellemere and Milo. Nami nodded, smiling slightly at Zoro as he took in the new onformation. "You married Luffy... and he has... kids... with you?"

Nami nodded again, "Are you really that surprised?" She asked, putting Bellemere down and disassembled her Clima-Tact, before looking up at Zoro, who was sheathing his sword.

Zoro sighed, "I guess not. Damn, that means the shitty cook won the bet..." He trailed off as Nami glared at him.

"Hey Zoro," Nami said, after a minute. "I missed you."

Zoro was quiet, not being the sentimental type. Nami didn't expect him to respond, but after a moment… "I missed you too."

* * *

"LUFFY!" Nami's voice rang through the small bay, penetrating the walls of the bar. "LUFFY! LUFFY! LUFFY!"

"Wha?" The one being called sat up from where he had dozed off, his hat falling into his lap as it fell off his face.

Shakky glanced over at him. "I believe you're being called." She turned back to drying the glass in her hand.

Luffy stood and stretched, replacing his hat and opening the door. Nami ran through, stopping in front of him and leaning over, trying to catch her breath. "You… will never guess… who I found." She panted, looking up at Luffy with an impossible large smile on her face.

Luffy blinked, glancing behind her and out the door. He saw Simon, who was carrying his daughter. Milo and an unfamiliar girl were standing outside as well. And the last person out there… was… Zoro?

"Nami… is that who I think it is?" Nami's grin grew as she nodded. "Are you sure?" Luffy started to smile as Nami continued nodding.

Luffy stared, taking in his first mate's face. He hadn't changed much at all. His face was turned as he talked to Simon. Simon's son, Tim, wasn't with them, but Luffy couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. The only thought going through his mind at the moment was that Zoro was there. His best friend was standing in front of him, after such a long separation.

It took a moment for Luffy to get his wits back, but the second he could move, he was out the door, crashing into his friend. Zoro was prepared this time, bracing himself as Luffy barreled into him. "ZORO!" He shouted, tightening his arms around the man.

"I think he needs to breathe," Milo said offhandedly a minute later, watching the two men embrace. Or rather, watch one of them squeeze the life out of the other.

"Don't care," Luffy said, his face buried in Zoro's shirt. "I haven't seen him in years." But he did loosen his grip slightly.

Zoro smiled, a rare and genuine one, and patted Luffy's head. "I'm not going anywhere, Captain. Nami convinced me."

Luffy looked up, tears filling his eyes. "Good. Cause I'm sorry we did." He buried his face again.

* * *

They had managed to pile the group of them in Shakky's Bar.

Kuina sat down at the counter. "Sake."

Shakky patted her head. "Nice try."

Kuina pouted.

Simon, who had followed them, also came in. He copied what Milo, Bellemere and Kuina were doing, choosing a seat and staying out of Luffy's way. Nami sat beside him, looking positively giddy. "You look happy."

Nami turned her attention away from Zoro and Luffy, the latter was explaining what had happened to them when they disappeared. "Of course I'm happy. I've said it a few times now, but I don't think anyone had really understood. I'm home. Luffy is home. We. Are. From. This. World. You don't seem to understand that."

Simon shook his head. "No, I really don't."

Nami leaned back, beckoning for Milo and Bellemere to come over. They did. "You wanted a full explanation, right? Listen up."

Nami took a deep breath and began talking. "It started out in this world, actually. Luffy and I, as well as Zoro are part of a pirate crew, called the Straw-hats. We were attacked. Well, I guess ambushed is the better word to use. The man who attacked us had Devil Fruit powers, and could rip open the wall between worlds, and shove people through. Now, I had just recently discovered I was pregnant. With you, Milo. And the only other person on board the ship who knew was Luffy. The attacker aimed at me," Nami made a face. "So I guess it was my fault we were separated. But Luffy saw and he came over to shield me… The next thing I remember is waking up in a white room. On a hospital bed." She shrugged. "And then we started our life over there. Luffy got a job at the docks and I went to school to be a weather reporter."

"It wasn't your fault, Nami." Luffy said. The two of them had stopped talking to listen to Nami's explanation. "Even if you weren't having a baby, I would have protected you."

Nami smiled, leaning over and kissing him. Bellemere and Zoro both made a face.

* * *

"So what are we going to do?" Zoro asked.

Luffy shrugged, "Find everyone and keep going? We still have to find the All Blue, and Nami has to draw a map of the world."

Simon glanced over at Nami curiously, "You want to draw a map of the world? Wouldn't it be easier to get a picture online or something?"

Nami shook her head. "Like I said before, back on the beach. No satellites. Or computers. Or internet. Or television. We have viewing screens, but the transponder snails only give live footage. No cell phones. Only transponder snails. The technology of this world and yours are very different."

"You have electricity," Simon countered, pointing to the lights. "Why don't you have anything else?"

Nami pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. "I don't know. Different worlds, different everything. Stop talking."

"Mommy," Bellemere piped up this time. "Milo said the story was true. Does that mean there are people with cool powers too?"

Luffy answered this time, "Yeah! There's a special kind of fruit. People say that they're reincarnations of the sea devil itself. You eat these and get really cool powers, but lose your ability to swim."

"And how is that possible?" Simon asked, sounding annoyed.

Luffy shrugged. "I dunno, but I've got a Devil Fruit power."

"Show me," Simon snapped.

Luffy grinned and raised his fingers to his face. Hooking them in his cheek, he pulled. The skin stretched a lot further than it should have been possible, revealing the inside of his cheek. He let go, the skin snapping back into place. "I ate the Gum Gum Fruit, and became a Rubberman."

"He's quite proud of that," Zoro commented, pulling his mug of sake away from Kuina's fingers. "But the abilities are varied. Robin has the Flower Flower Fruit, and can make body parts bloom from anywhere. Chopper ate the Human Human Fruit, and gained human abilities."

"Chopper's a reindeer," Nami whispered to Simon, who blanched.

"Brook ate the Revive Revive fruit, and came back from the dead." Zoro explained. "Those are just the people in our crew who have abilities, but there are a lot more out there."

Simon looked skeptical, glancing out the window to avoid looking at anyone. "It's getting late. I should probably get back to the base and find Tim." He stood. "Are you coming?"

Luffy shook his head. "We're going to stay here."

Milo saw Zoro's expression change from worry to relief as Simon and Luffy conversed. _Do they really care for each other that much?_

"But we can walk you into town," Luffy continued, and Zoro's expression changed again.

"I don't think that's the best idea," Nami said. "Zoro and I, our… scuffle might have drawn unwanted attention. Someone may have alerted the marines."

Luffy pouted, and Milo watched Zoro's expression change yet again. "Sorry, Simon. Guess you'll have to go alone." _They do, _Milo concluded.

Simon didn't respond, walking out the door. Luffy watched him out of the window for a few minutes, but turned away when he vanished from sight.

Zoro sighed a few moments later, resting his head in his hand. His daughter snatched away his mug, but Zoro didn't bother taking it back. There wasn't much sake left anyway. "So… what _are _we going to do? Luffy, the world thinks you're dead."

"Well," Nami started, looking thoughtful, "I've been playing with an idea. Remember the last time we went into hiding, and showed up again? Well, we could do that again."

"After sixteen years?" Shakky questioned, taking the now empty mug from Kuina. "Wouldn't that be a little hard to pull off? I mean, you have had many imposters over the years…"

Nami put a hand on Bellemere's head. "We have our excuse right here."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Our kids?"

"Of course! What self-respecting parent would raise their kid while in constant danger? Usopp has kids, right? And Franky and Robin might too. We left because we didn't want to put them in danger. Now that they're old enough though…" Nami smiled at Milo, "They can join the crew."

Milo stared at his mother. Join the crew? Become part of the story his parents told him as a child? He believed it now. Meeting the man who the swordsman represented. And even witnessing his father stretch his cheek. That was impossible, but it happened. "You would really want me on the crew?"

"Milo," Luffy said sternly. "You are my son. What makes you think you can't come with us? We're not going to leave you behind." He looked over at Bellemere. "You too, Bella. You can be whatever you want."

Milo stared at the floor, his mind racing. Would he abandon his home world? His parents were born here, but he wasn't. He had friends too. Not many, but Andy, Tim, and Malcolm were good people. Malcolm was probably worried right now, back in the other world. But on the other hand… would they even be able to go home? His parents had been on their side for sixteen years! And coming back was just a well-placed coincidence. Right? He looked up at his father, who was smiling softly at him.

"It's whatever you want to do, Milo." He said. "Whatever you choose, we'll accept."

He turned to the window, where the sun was setting. Long red rays bathed the bay, and the ship, in an ethereal glow. Bellemere yawned, and shuffled closer to Nami. "I'm going with Mommy and Daddy."

Luffy patted her head, "That's my girl."

Milo took a deep breath. He was going to miss his friends back home, but… he owed it to his parents. They seemed so much happier here than they ever had anywhere else. "I'm going to come too."

Luffy laughed, jumping up. "Then it's decided!" He shouted. "The Straw-hats are back!"

* * *

**Alright! This is the last of the introductions. Maybe. Hopefully. There will be more action in the next chapter, I promise!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

Bellemere was the first of the two children to experience the marines. She had been walking with Nami when Lieutenant Figgs had stopped in front of them. "Hold on, you two. That girl is under arrest."

Nami stepped protectively in front of her daughter, "Under what charges?" She demanded, her eyes narrowing as she leveled her glare onto the man.

"Cooperating with a pirate." Figgs said stiffly, avoiding looking at Nami. "She mentioned working with a pirate called Captain Hook. She is to be brought in for questioning."

"No." Nami said. "Captain Hook is a character from a movie. He is not real. Now get out of my way."

"I don't know what a movie is," the lieutenant said, "But there is no proof of this pirate not existing. Should she give up the information, her sentence will be less severe."

Bellemere had hidden behind her mother, peeking out slightly. Nami placed a hand on her daughter's head soothingly as she glared at the man blocking their path. "This is a twelve year old girl. She has lived her entire life with me. She has not met a real pirate named Captain Hook. Is that enough for you?"

Figgs shook his head. "No, she had to come with me. If you do not stop defending this felon, you will be considered a traitor."

Nami snorted, her hand hovering over her Clima-tact, strapped to her leg and hidden from view under her skirt. "A traitor? Wow… Hey Bellemere, we've only been here a week, but would you mind if we left?"

Bellemere looked up, "Are we going on the sunflower ship?"

Nami nodded, "Yes."

Bellemere looked at Figgs again and cringed. "That man is scary. I don't wanna be here with him."

"Alright then. Your father's been wanting to get out of here too." Nami looked back at Lieutenant Figgs. "She's innocent. Leave her alone. We'll be leaving the island today, so we'll be out of your hair!" Nami grinned and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Bu-but you can't leave! You're one of the people from the other world! We…" He fell silent, staring past Nami.

"We what?" Nami asked, following his gaze. She then gulped. "Oh… this is bad."

Standing not ten feet behind them was Vice Admiral Gadding. "What is bad?" The man smirked. "You harboring a criminal?"

"My daughter is not a criminal," Nami snapped, glancing between the two ranked marines. They were blocking off two ways of escape. Nami could knock over the stalls and escape to the beach, but Bellemere wasn't a very fast runner. She needed help. "She is innocent," Nami repeated, trying to buy time to think of another plan. "She has never been to this world before, so even if she did meet and help a pirate, that's not your concern. It would be the other world's concern."

Gadding stared at Nami, making her slightly self-conscious. "I have heard from another member of your party that you and another man insist you are from this world."

Nami cursed under her breath. "Maybe so, but my children were not born here."

"And we still haven't gotten your names or profiles." Gadding tapped his chin. "Very suspicious."

"Suspicious my ass," Nami snapped again. "That's called privacy."

"So what is your name, miss?" Nami froze at the question. _Damn._

"That's none of your business," Nami turned her nose up at his questioned and took Bellemere's hand in her own. Suddenly, she spotted a tuft of green hair in the crowd that had assembled to watch the marines and the supposed criminal. Bellemere was trembling slightly, pressing herself against Nami's legs. "Don't worry, sweetie… It's going to be okay." Nami knelt down in front of Bellemere, pulling her into a hug.

"When I say run, run into the crowd and find Zoro. Okay?" Nami whispered into Bellemere's ear, her lips pressed into her hair to keep her words hidden from the marines. Bellemere nodded slowly, tears starting to gather in her eyes.

Nami stood up, meeting the smug looking gaze of Vice Admiral Gadding. "Are you going to turn her over?"

"Well, no. I'm not. But I guess you are right about her knowing pirates," Nami turned her gaze back to the crowd. She could see the green head closer now, and Nami took Bellemere's shoulders, steering her in the direction she should run. Zoro caught Nami's eye, and Nami nodded towards Bellemere. Zoro nodded, understanding what she wanted him to do.

"Is that so," Gadding said, taking a step forward.

"Bellemere," Nami said, "Run."

Bellemere took off, reaching the confines of the crowd before either of the two marines could react and stop her. Nami watch Zoro lurch forward and scoop her up before taking off in the direction of Shakky's Bar. And more importantly, the Thousand Sunny. Milo should have been on board, him and Kuina helping Shakky and Duval load food and supplies onto the ship for the start of their journey.

Gadding was stalking forward, his face twisted in rage. "You are now under arrest, miss. You have helped someone convicted of plotting with a pirate escape. Don't think you can charm yourself out of this one."

"You could have just let the girl go with us, and gone on your way." Figgs added.

"Leave _my _daughter with the marines?" Nami scoffed, her hand on her concealed weapon. "Not likely. If you had taken her, you would be in even deeper shit." Nami grabbed the Clima-tact, shoving the poles together and leveling it so that both ends were pointing at a marine. "Now, I suggest you leave me alone. If my husband finds out you were harassing me, he's gonna be pissed. He finds out you've been harassing his only daughter…" Nami laughed. "It was nice knowing ya."

* * *

"Harassing my daughter?" The crowd parted slightly as a black haired man pushed his way through. Gadding sized him up. He was scrawny, wearing a black muscle shirt and long pants. His sandaled feet brushed against the grass as he took another step forward. "Is that true?" He directed the next question to the nameless girl in the middle of the two marines.

Gadding burst into laughter. "This is your husband? He's nothing more than a toothpick!" The Vice Admiral wiped tears from his eyes. "This is the man you're threatening us with?"

"I wouldn't take him lightly," Nami said, with a knowing smirk. "I mean, he really can beat your ass."

"Yeah, right." Gadding scoffed, sizing the newcomer up. There was something familiar about that scar under his left eye. "You think you can beat me?"

The man tilted his head to the side, a dark look in his eyes and the corners of his mouth turned up in a smirk. "Yes. I can."

"You sound confident, but I guess that's okay. It'll be gone when you experience jail." Gadding drew himself up to his full height, staring down at the man. "But before I take you in, I still want to know who you are."

The red head and the dark haired man exchanged a look, and then the woman spoke first. "My name? It's Nami." The name drew whispers from the crowd.

"That's nothing special," Gadding muttered.

Nami raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been a marine?"

"Ten years on the nose," Gadding said smugly. Nami and the man started laughing.

"Just ten years?" The black haired man asked, grinning like a loon. "Then I guess we really haven't met. But I still think you would have heard of me." The man reached behind his head, and produced a hat, setting it on his head. Beside him, Figgs gasped in horror, taking several steps back before stumbling and landing hard on his bottom. "My name? It's Monkey D. Luffy. I'm the King of the Pirates." He placed an arm on his shoulder, pulled back, and let it fly forwards. Gadding couldn't breathe, the revelation shocking him. The last thing he saw for a while was a fist aimed at his face.

* * *

The sun streamed through the thin curtains, causing a dark haired, long nosed man to roll away from the light and groan.

"Usopp," A gentle voice chided. "It's past eight. You have to get up."

"I don' wanna," Usopp groaned, pulling the sheets above his head. "Lemme sleep."

"You have to work today, dear," Usopp cracked open one eye and stared up at a blonde woman.

"Do I have to go?" Usopp whined, closing his eyes again.

"Yes." Kaya's voice was quiet, but firm. "If you don't get up on your own then I'm going to send the kids in."

Usopp shot up. "That's okay! I'm up, I'm up. The kids don't have to come in."

Kaya smiled brightly. "Great. Breakfast is getting cold." She left the room, leaving Usopp to get dressed. When he stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen, he was tackled by two dark haired blurs.

"DADDY!" One of them shouted. "Mommy said we couldn't wake you up today."

"Yeah!" The other said, a pout forming on her lips.

Usopp knelt down, "Well, you two did get me good last time," Usopp rubbed a bruise on his cheek before flicking Merry's protruding lip slightly. "You know, if you keep that up, your face is going to freeze like that."

"WHAT!" Merry exclaimed, covering her mouth with both hands. "Really?"

"Don't listen to him, sweetie," Kaya said, picking up her daughter and bringing her over to the table. "Now, it's breakfast time."

Brandon scrambled into his chair as well, picking up his utensils and banging them on the table. "FOOD!"

"Be polite," Kaya scolded. But Usopp winced slightly, his son's actions reminding him of his former captain. "It's rude to demand food. Merry, don't copy him."

Glancing at his daughter, Usopp saw that she had grabbed her fork and knife as well, intending to copy her brother. "How about I tell you a story to pass the time?" Usopp suggested, watching as his children's faces lit up with joy. It always sent a thrill of pride through him when he was them happy. Kaya stood at the stove, a smile gracing her lips as well with the suggestion.

"Yeah! Tell us a story, Daddy."

Usopp leaned back in his chair, running a finger over his chin and pretending to think. "How about that time I was sent to a man eating island?"

The two of them cheered, forgetting their plates and climbing onto his lap.

"It all started at another island, where the brave Straw-hat pirates were fighting one of the Warlords. They were all sent flying to different places. I ended up on an island called Greenstone. There, I met a man named Heracles. He appeared after I fought and defeated a giant beetle."

"A beetle?" Branded sounded unimpressed. "That's lame."

"We don't use that word in the house," Kaya called.

"Sorry Mommy."

Usopp waved his hand, "Well, it was a very big and strong beetle. Then, a huge, man eating plant appeared. It was so big that even I, the mighty Usopp, sharpshooter on the Pirate King's crew, needed a little bit of assistance."

"He saved you," Merry giggled.

"He did," Usopp admitted, "But then I got stronger! I ate a whole lot, and then trained on the island for two whole years! I could have become one of the members of the monster trio, but I decided to let Luffy, Sanji and Zoro keep the positions."

"Why'd you do that? You coulda gotten famous!" Brandon asked, disbelief on his face.

"Because I was going to become even stronger than them. I was going to become the Pirate King's right hand man." Usopp explained.

"But why aren't you sailing the seas right now? With the Pirate King?" Merry asked quietly. "Granny says you're lying about being in the Pirate King's crew and that you're gonna bring bad luck to the island."

Kaya glanced over at Usopp with concern in her eyes. Ever since Usopp had returned to the island, alone and depressed, people had always assumed that after he had set out, he failed. Kaya knew better, having witnessed him join Luffy's crew. When he returned, Kaya was the one who held him when he cried, managing to explain that Luffy and Nami were gone, and the crew had split up.

"It's because I came back to see Kaya. I was away for a long time, and I missed her." Usopp said finally.

A pan clattered against the stove, "Alright you three," Kaya interrupted. "Breakfast is served."

Brandon and Merry scrambled back to their seats as Kaya placed their food in front of them.

* * *

Usopp left the house and made his way to the docks and the ship yard. Over the years, and with the practice on the Going Merry, he had become a decent shipwright. Decent enough for his coworkers to put up with him. Only a few were truly his friends. Franky was better than him, but that was to be expected. Franky had built the Thousand Sunny, the vessel the Pirate King sailed on.

The town had grown to three times the size it had been when Usopp first left with Luffy, the port becoming a popular place for travelers to stop and resupply or make repairs, be those pirates or marines. Since they were in East Blue, many of the pirates stopping at the port didn't even have bounties, and the few of them that did couldn't do much damage, due to either lack of skill or lack of will.

He stepped onto the wooden planks of the docks, waving to Old Man Gert, the master shipwright of Syrup Village as he passed. He continued walking down the docks, new and large, until he came to a certain ship.

It was a little bigger than the Merry had been, flying a skull and crossbones on the flag and had a cat figurehead. Several of his coworkers were already there, crowding around it and talking. Joining them, Usopp assessed the damage. The sails were torn, barely useable. There were gaps in the railing, a danger hazard for any inexperienced (and some experienced) Devil Fruit users. The stem didn't look sturdy, the corners of planks and wide seams visible from where he stood.

"Hey!" The dock workers turned to face the owner of the voice. It was a man, a little older than Usopp. He was probably the captain.

"This your ship?" One of Usopp's friends, Marty, asked.

"Yeah, that's mine. Can ya get 'er ready fer the Grand Line?" He asked, stepping closer to the workers. Usopp took an involuntary step back, and chided himself for it. He was a man, damn it!

"That depends," Another worker, Anion, replied. "Can you pay?"

The pirate laughed, the sound echoing through the docks. "Sure," He said finally. "We won't burn down your town."

Usopp turned back to the ship and examined it again, looking for the placed it would have to be repaired. The sails would have to be replaced. They weren't going to get far with the rags hanging on the masts now. The stem would have to be reinforced, or the ship would leak. The holes in the rail would have to be repaired if there was a Devil Fruit user aboard. If not, they wouldn't be much of a problem.

"Hey," Usopp interrupted, Anion and the pirate looking over at him. "Do you have any Devil Fruit users aboard?"

The captain paused, "Why do you wanna know?"

Usopp gestured to the railing. "Because if you do, those rails will have to be fixed. If you don't then it wouldn't matter as much."

"Uh, we ain't got any users." The pirate replied.

"That's good. There's already a lot of damage here. You're going to have to replace the sails. Those won't bring you very far, and the weather in the Grand Line itself will tear them apart. Those boards at the front need to be reinforced, or your ship will take on water. And it's your choice if you want to fix the railings or not. That's the damage I can see from here. I'd have to go aboard to see if there were any other repairs that needed to be made. But you need to have a sturdy ship of you want to cross Reverse Mountain." Usopp relayed the damage to the captain, who just stared at him when he finished speaking.

"What's Reverse Mountain?"

Usopp grinned, remembering the memory. "It's the entrance to the Grand Line. It's impossible to enter from the side, so you have to sail up the mountain."

The pirate continued staring. "I ain't heard of it."

Usopp just shrugged, "That's alright. I didn't know about it until we passed Logue Town."

"You've been to the Grand Line?" The pirate sounded skeptical. "You look puny."

"You shouldn't underestimate the Great Usopp!" He pointed at the pirate, "I sailed aboard the Thousand Sunny, as the sharpshooter of Pirate King Luffy's crew!"

The workers who heard him began laughing, making Usopp turn red and drop his arm. "C'mon, Usopp," Anion said, wiping tears from his eyes. "You've been going on about that since you got back. The Pirate King only had nine members of his crew, and you ain't one of them."

Usopp turned away, his embarrassment turning to anger as the others kept jeering at him. "I'm going to go aboard and look around. That okay?" He asked the captain, who nodded, despite his laughing.

"Does that wimp really think he's a part of the Pirate King's crew?"

"You should hear some of the bullshit that comes out of his mouth." Anion replied.

Usopp ignored them, scaling the rope ladder dangling from the side and standing on the deck. After a quick run through, he deemed the rest of the ship intact, descending and facing the pirate again. "I didn't find any more damage. If you want, we can fix the stem and replace your sails."

"Ya know, if ya work hard like this, you can become a famous shipwright, and not have ta claim to be a pirate." He slung an arm over Usopp's shoulder. "Or you could fix the ship and join my crew!"

Usopp pushed off the arm. "Sorry, but I wasn't lying when I said I was part of Luffy's crew. The only way I'm going to join another pirate crew is if Zoro finally steps up and takes over."

"Zoro? Ya mean Straw-hat's first mate?"

"The very same. Now, please excuse me. I have work to do." Usopp left the pirate alone on the dock.


	8. Chapter 8

Usopp sat in the living room that night, flipping through an aged photo album. When the crew had decided to split after Nami and Luffy had vanished, they had divided a lot of the supplies up. Usopp took one of the photo albums, and he was pretty sure Robin and Franky had the other two. Nami had gotten her hands on a camera a while before the split, and after that, their travels were documented. The rest of the crew had even put in their own personal pictures, assured that if they were in the album, they would be safer than on their person. He turned a page, and a younger looking Robin was teaching Luffy how to play chess. Another picture showed Nami, Nojiko, and Bellemere. A third was a black and white picture of an alive Brook and a tiny Laboon. He turned the page again, and this time three boys stared up at him from the page. A seven year old Luffy grinning madly at the camera, his arms wrapped around a grinning blonde boy in a blue had and a younger version of Ace, who was looking extremely annoyed.

Another page. He came face to face with himself in this one, him and Chopper dancing around the deck of the Sunny. Brook was visible in the background, playing his violin.

"You know," Kaya's soft voice drifted over to him from the doorway. "If you showed them these pictures, they might believe you."

Usopp closed the photo album. "I know," He stood and replaced it on the mantle. "But I want them to believe _me._ Not a bunch of pictures." Kaya came over, a blanket draped over her shoulders. "I haven't lied since I came back, but… they still won't believe me. It's… hard."

Kaya hugged him from behind, her arms wrapped around Usopp's torso. "I understand how hard it is. You've lost friends, and these people don't believe you, laughing when you mourn." Kaya's arms tightened. "Luffy was my friend too, although I only saw him for a short time."

"He owes you," Usopp smiled. "We all do. You gave us our first ship."

Kaya withdrew, "If Zoro decides to start up again, I want to come with you."

"I… really?" Usopp asked, her previous statement throwing him off guard.

Kaya smiled, "Yes. This town is boring. All people ever do is gossip. I want adventure, like in those stories you used to tell me. The kids would love it too, I'm sure."

Usopp took his wife in his arms, smiling. "That would be great. Our family, terrorizing the sea. I could teach Brandon and Merry how to shoot!"

"You just have to convince Zoro," Kaya said, tapping the end of Usopp's nose. Usopp smiled again. This time, it reached his eyes.

* * *

The crowd's whispers had turned into shouts as Luffy knocked out the Vice Admiral. "That was boring," he whined. "I thought Vice Admirals were supposed to be strong!" He rounded on Figgs, "You're only a lieutenant. Are you strong?"

Nami grabbed his arm, "Leave him, we have to get going. Now."

Luffy pouted, but allowed Nami to drag him away. They didn't have to push through the crowd this time. They parted, not wanting to be anywhere near the Pirate King. The dead Pirate King. The Pirate King who had vanished sixteen years ago. The hat itself was more than enough proof, and then the stretched arm? That was enough to throw anyone's doubts out the window.

When they had announced Luffy's death, there was a great scramble to find his Devil Fruit. But no one ever did. And now the reason was staring them straight in the face. _He wasn't dead. _

Luffy and Nami heard the click of cameras as they started running. They caught up to Zoro, who was standing outside the ring of people, holding a crying Bellemere. She was passed off to Luffy as they began running again. Hopefully, the marines wouldn't report to the base right away, and give the newly re-formed Straw-hat pirates some time to ready the ship.

"What the hell happened?" Zoro asked.

"I beat up a marine," Luffy said.

"And now the world knows we're back," Nami muttered, sparing a glance over her shoulder. No one was following. "Well, I guess that's a good thing. The newspapers will alert the rest of the crew."

Luffy grinned, watching as the Thousand Sunny came into view as they reached the top of the hill. At the bottom of the hill there were three people, and four actually on the ship itself. "Bella, hold on!" Luffy said, grabbing Nami on one arm and reaching out with the other. He stretched out his arm, catching the mast with his hand and rocketing from the top of the hill.

Bellemere screamed while Nami laughed, the three of them coming to rest gently on the grassy deck.

"So you _CAN _land safely!" Zoro shouted from the hill, fuming slightly at all the times Luffy had done the same thing with him or any male member of the crew and landed painfully.

Luffy looked over his shoulder at Zoro, "Well of course I can."

"Then why do you insist on landing painfully?"

"Cause it's funner," Luffy grinned. He released Nami and crouched down so Bellemere could climb off his back. Milo and Kuina, who were at the railing, stared at him, their faces full of awe. "How much have you loaded?" He asked them.

"Almost all of it," Duval answered, exiting the galley. "Just a couple more crates and we're done."

"Good," Nami said, "Because we're leaving. Right now."

"Right now?" Milo asked, grabbing Luffy's elbow. "Why?"

Luffy grinned down at his son, "Because I beat up a marine, and we're in trouble now."

Milo stared after him as he jumped off the railing and ran up to the bar. "He… what?"

Nami passed him, patting him on the head. "Get used to it, Milo. He does that a lot."

"He attacks people?" Milo asked.

"Well of course!" Nami exclaimed. "You punched Mason when he was threatening Andy, right? Well, the marine was threatening Bellemere."

Milo shut his mouth, unable to argue that point. "Well, I didn't think he would be that violent…"

"Milo," Nami said sternly. "Remember the stories we told you?"

"The one that ended up being true?" He muttered.

"Yes, those ones. Your father is stronger than people back in New York. The marines are stronger as well." Nami explained. "I don't think Luffy did much more than bruise their ego."

Zoro, having climbed onto the ship and overheard the conversation, laughed. "Don't worry, kid. We're not much into killing."

"Not much? That's reassuring." Milo sighed, watching his father exit the bar with an armful of bags. "How much is that?"

Zoro glanced at Nami, who placed a hand on Milo's shoulder and pulled him towards the galley. Once the two of them were inside, Nami sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "One person," Nami said. "That's all this crew has ever killed."

Milo took a step back. "You mean… in that story… Blackbeard?"

Nami nodded. "You remember what happened in the story, right?"

Milo sat down in one of the chairs. "Blackbeard was the man that captured the captain's brother and handed him over to the… marines…" He trailed off, suddenly realizing the connection. "Blackbeard was killed by the captain in a battle for the One Piece," he finished. "Dad was the one that killed him?!"

Nami nodded, pulling out a chair and sitting next to him. "His name was Ace," She said. "Luffy's brother, that is."

"I had an uncle?" Milo asked, frowning. "Well, I guess I never would have met him. He lives here, in this world."

Nami choked back a sob, holding her hand to her mouth and shaking her head. "We never mentioned this in the story, Luffy said it wasn't appropriate for kids. And he was the only one who was there when it happened," she said, "But Ace is dead. He was killed by a marine. Admiral Akainu. Luffy watched it happen." She took a deep breath, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "We were going to name you Ace, after him, but…"

"Ace is a cool name," Milo said. "What was he like?"

"…Very polite," Nami described. "He had freckles, and was strong." She glanced around. "We had some pictures of him, but I think the others must have taken the albums. We can show you when we find them. It's been a long time since I've seen him. We… Don't bring this subject up, Milo. It's very sensitive, especially to those in the crew who knew him."

"The part of the story in the sand kingdom," Milo started. "The captain's brother had weird powers. Fire?"

"He ate the Flame Flame fruit," Nami said, nodding. She stood and walked over to the sink, splashing water on her face. "Remember, don't say anything."

Milo nodded, "I… won't."

* * *

"Is that everything?" Zoro asked, glancing around the deck. It seemed empty, with only the six of them.

Nami had her checklist out, darting from one place to the next. "I think so!" She called from below. "If we need anything else," she appeared in the doorway, "We can always stop and pick up supplies."

Luffy turned to Milo, "We're setting sail in ten minutes." He gestured to the people gathered on land. "If you want to say goodbye, now is the best time to do it."

Milo nodded, quickly scaling the rope ladder handing over the railing and approaching his friends. Nami leaned over, waving and catching Simon's eye. "Hey, Simon!"

"What so you want?" Simon called back, still angry at them. Neither Luffy nor Nami could find a reason for him to be mad at them.

"We're leaving," Nami said, "And you still owe me a favor."

Simon crossed his arms and looked away. "You're still going on about that? It wasn't that much."

"No," Nami agreed, "It wasn't. I want you to take care of yourself."

Simon jerked his head back; startled at the fact Nami was putting another person before money. He slowly nodded. Nami smiled, leaning back and disappearing from Simon's view. He briefly wondered if he would see her again. "Tim," He called to his son, who was hugging Milo and weeping dramatically. "We should get back before the marines they attacked show up."

Reluctantly, Tim released Milo, Andy taking his place almost instantly. "Hey guys, if you do get back, tell Malcolm I'm going on an adventure," Milo laughed, awkwardly patting Andy on his back.

"Hey, you three," Nami called, tossing something towards them. Milo caught it, and then dropped it as he got a good look at what it was. A snail. With a receiver built into its back. "It's a transponder snail," Nami explained. "You can use it to talk to Milo. Kinda like a phone, minus the charges."

"Only your mother would use a snail instead of a phone because it's cheaper." Andy said, picking up the sleeping phone-snail.

"You forget," Milo said, "She's probably used to them, being from this world and all."

"I keep forgetting that," Tim said, sighing.

"They're called transponder snails," Nami explained. "This one has been programmed to call the one we have only, so all you have to do is pick it up and speak into it to call."

Tim glanced up, "Why are you giving us this?"

"Because my son is socially awkward and I don't want him losing the few friends he has," Nami replied, grinning. Milo turned bright red as his friends laughed.

"I guess this isn't goodbye then," Milo said, shoving Andy off of him. "I'll make sure to send pictures." Luffy stretched his arm down, holding it until Milo grabbed on. Both Andy and Tim jumped back, still trying to get used to the abnormalities this world had.

As soon as Milo was on board, the ropes holding the Thousand Sunny in place fell away and the ship lurched. Milo grasped the railing to keep from stumbling.

"SEE YA SHAKKY, DUVAL!" Nami cried, waving. "THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF THE SUNNY!"

Shakky and Duval were waving from shore, their words lost as they distanced themselves from shore and began heading up the river and out to the open water.

Luffy was laughing, hanging on to the yard and untying the sails. The last rope was released from the sails, and they billowed in the wind. The personalized Jolly Roger with the straw hat was revealed for the first time since the ship was docked in grove 17. Nami stared up at the sails with a jaw-breaking smile on her face. Zoro was holding three bottles of sake, handing one to Nami.

"Should we toast?"

Nami grabbed the bottle and took a large gulp. "No way. Let's just drink!"

Luffy jumped down, startling Bellemere as he landed next to her. "Hey Zoro, where's the flag?"

Zoro looked up before pointing to the galley. "'s hanging in the kitchen."

Luffy nodded, "Come on, Bellemere. Wanna help me put up the flag?"

"Really?" Bellemere asked, grinning. "Yeah!"

Luffy disappeared into the kitchen, emerging a few minutes later with a piece of meat in his mouth and the flag clutched in his hands. Bellemere climbed onto his back before Luffy rocketed the two of them up to the lookout tower. Luffy braced his daughter as they stood on the roof, watching as she tied the flag to the top.

It caught the wind just in time for them to sail out of the small bay, showing their mark off to all the people within view of the water. There were screams from shore as Luffy jumped down with Bellemere in his arms. People crowded on the beach as the ship emerged completely and began to sail away, catching the unrestrained wind of the open ocean. Luffy was laughing, waving at the spectators.

"YOU ALL THOUGHT I WAS DEAD?" He asked, "WELL GUESS WHAT! I'M BACK!" Zoro joined him, grinning and holding out a bottle of sake.

"Good to be back?"

"You bet."

* * *

There were marine warships following them, and Nami was getting worried. She had no idea how to initiate a Coup de Burst, and Frank wasn't there. She bit her thumbnail, glancing at the three kids they had aboard. Kuina was imitating her father, leaning against the railing and snoring. Milo was at the bow, staring out at the ocean. And Bellemere was exploring the ship. That girl had actually found one of Nami's secret stashes, making her proud that her daughter was just like her.

Suddenly, Nami stood, her hair flying in the sudden whirlwind. "Oi!" She called, "Everyone front and center." There had been a slight drop of pressure, and that could only mean bad news. It also meant there was a way to get the pursuing marines off their tail.

Kuina snorted, grabbing her sword and standing. Milo came over, standing lazily behind Kuina. Zoro snorted and rolled over. Luffy climbed over the figurehead and joined the group. "What's wrong?"

"There's a storm coming," Nami said quickly. "We can use it to get the marines off our trail."

"Alright," Milo said, "So… What are we going to do?"

"Luffy," Nami ordered, turning to him first. "Take Milo and show him how to trim the sails. I want them in. Absolutely nothing left to get caught by the wind. Got it?"

"Roger," Luffy said, wrapping an arm around Milo's torso and dragging him up the mast.

"Kuina, can you wake Zoro and get all loose objects off the deck and inside?" She nodded, heading towards her father.

Nami stared towards the east, the direction the wind was coming from. On the edge of the horizon she could see a black line. But it was getting larger with each passing moment. "Luffy!" She shouted as the wind began to pick up. "Are you almost done?"

"YES!" He shouted back, as Zoro scrambled past Nami with a crate in his arms. "We're coming down!"

Luffy landed, Milo looking dazed while in his arms. "Good. Get inside."

Kuina past them with the last box in her arms, following her father down into the hold. Nami sighed. She would have liked to have gone through the supplies while they were still on deck, but it was better them in the hold than blown off the ship in the storm. She turned her gaze to where her tangerine trees would have stood and sighed. Shakky told her Sanji took them and returned them to Cocoyashi Village. She should probably be thankful to him for doing that. They would have died being left unattended for so long.

Once Zoro and Kuina exited the hold, Nami ordered them into the galley as well. "The storm isn't a cyclone, but it's going to be close. In any case, marine protocol says they can't enter that kind of danger."

"So…" Zoro asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means," Nami slammed her hand on the table, making the three children jump as it made contact, "We sail through the storm."

Zoro laughed, "I've travelled on many ships these past years, but never once have they said that phrase."

Nami grinned. "Well then, you had better get used to it."

The mast creaked and the wind tore relentlessly at the small vessel as it ventured deeper and deeper into the heart of the storm. It was almost two days before it let up, everyone going stir crazy, especially Milo, who was complaining about missing his video games. But when it finally let up, it left behind a clear, cloudless blue sky and no marines on their tail.

Luffy took a deep breath as he stepped into the air. "I've missed this," He admitted to Nami, who came up beside him and leaned on his shoulder.

"Me too. We're home at last."

* * *

In a bustling village on an unusually large island, a black haired teenager picked up a newspaper, frowning at the title. He read it over three times before the lady at the stand demanded he buy it or put it back. Annoyed, he tossed a couple of beris over to the woman and walked off, his eyes still on the headline.

"Hey, Blake!" Someone shouted, and the boy lifted his head when he heard his name. "Whatcha got?"

Nico Blake held up the paper. "There was an interesting article in the paper today. I think my parents would want to see it."

The headline read **_THE STRAW HAT PIRATES HAVE RETURNED. THE SEAS ONCE AGAIN HAVE ITS KING? _**Below that was a picture of a ship with a lion figurehead, and a man with a straw hat firmly set on his head standing at the rail, waving.


	9. Chapter 9

Usopp scowled as Anion and the pirate captain talked behind him. They had finished the ship earlier that day, and Anion was going over the repair work. The pirate looked impressed, ordering his crew to board and start readying to set sail. Usopp ignored them as much as he could, staring out to sea and feeling a slight twinge of jealousy. This man's adventures were just starting while his were sixteen years done.

He had thought about the offer to join their crew, to find the scattered members of the Straw-hat pirates, and set sail again. If Zoro wasn't going to step up, why couldn't he? But he had decided against it. His loyalties were strong, to both his friends and his family. He wouldn't leave his wife and kids to go adventuring.

"Ya ain't comin'?" Usopp turned, the pirate grinning behind him.

"Thanks for the offer," Usopp said, "But I'm going to decline. I'm part of a different pirate crew, and I can't leave my family."

The pirate shrugged, "Shame. Yer skills are good. We needs to get ourselves a shipwright. And ya still thinks yer part of the Pirate King's Crew?"

"I wasn't lying," Usopp sighed, "Once a Straw-hat, always a Straw-hat. It's not something I can throw away that easily." He sighed, looking out over the ocean. "If you get across Reverse Mountain, tell Brook I say 'hi'."

"Brook?"

"A singing skeleton," Usopp explained, the pirate's expression disbelieving. "He's my friend, and lives at the base of the mountain. Tell him Usopp sends his regards."

The pirate tilted his head, "Yer a strange one…"

Usopp shrugged, "I get that a lot. Just pass on the message, will you?"

"Aye, I'll pass it on." He turned to his crew, "OI! Hurry it up! We're leaving!" The crew's pace quickened. Turning back to Usopp, he pulled a small bag off his belt and tossed it over. "Here's the payment."

Usopp caught the bag, feeling its weight and pocketing it. "I thought the payment was you not burning down the village?" He asked, smirking.

"Eh, yous did a good job. I ain't one to back outta that." The pirate laughed. He turned away, climbing up to the deck of his ship.

"Hey!" Usopp called, "What's your name? I'll watch for a wanted poster."

"Warren!" The pirate called down as the ropes were released and the ship began moving.

* * *

"Hey Usopp," Anion caught up to the sharpshooter as he made his way to Gert. "How come he paid you?"

"How should I know?" Usopp replied, reaching Gert and picking up the ship log. HE marked down the repairs made and the completion date, as well as the payment. He handed the bag of coins over to Gert, who would later split it among the workers who repaired that ship.

"You know what that means, right?" Anion slung an arm over Usopp's shoulder, who immediately shoved it off.

"Yeah," Usopp sighed, "I know. Party's at my house tonight. Come around seven."

"Excellent," Anion said. "You know, I don't think I've ever been to your house."

"There's a reason for that," Usopp muttered, quickening his pace and leaving Anion behind. His scowl returned as he recalled the unwritten rule of the dock workers. The worker who was handed the money from the client had to host the celebration when they finished the ship. Warren's ship had taken a week to repair, a bigger project than usual. Especially with the damage it had sustained.

Passing through the town, people were bustling as usual. It was close to four in the afternoon, and people were packing up their wares and heading home. He arrived home, the house relatively quiet. The kids would have been at Granny's with the other children in the village. Kaya was either on call as a doctor, or picking up Brandon and Merry.

He sat down in the kitchen, peeling off his grease streaked gloves and tossing them in the sink. The sweat-soaked bandana joined it. He left them there as he left to take a shower, hoping Kaya would come home soon so he could warn her about the party.

To his luck, Kaya was in the kitchen when he emerged. She gave him a disapproving look when he entered, holding up his dirty clothing. "The sink?" She asked. "You couldn't have found a better place to put these? What would Sanji have done if you did this to his sink?"

"Kick my ass." He answered, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, I was distracted."

Kaya pressed the gloves and bandana into his arms. "Deal with them."

"I will… Uh, we finished he ship today."

"Oh?" Kaya asked. "Whose house is it at tonight?"

"Ours…" He admitted.

"Well, that's new. What time will they be arriving?" She turned to the cupboards, intending to pull out a pot.

"Seven-ish, I guess," He told her. "Don't worry about dinner, everyone's going to be bringing something. We can eat what they bring."

Kaya nodded, replacing the pot she was in the process of removing and standing. "That's good then, no cooking tonight."

* * *

At five to seven, Marty was the first to arrive. He walked through the door holding a steaming tray. "I brought beef!" He said, making his way first to the kitchen, and then to the living room when Kaya kicked him out. Kaya and Usopp had rearranged the living room furniture to accommodate the ten workers and the food.

Kaya kissed Usopp on the cheek, "Be a good host," she ordered, dragging their two children into the kitchen and out of the way.

"I'll try," he said, turning to greet Marty. "Hey."

Marty placed his dish on one of the tables and looked around. "Man, you've got a big house."

"It isn't mine," Usopp said, "It's Kaya's." He sighed as there was another knock on the door. "Hold on." He opened the door, revealing Anion and Drey. "Hi."

Anion whistled, looking around the foyer. "Nice place."

"Thanks. This way," Usopp pointed them to the living room, them placing their load on the table as well. "Make yourself at home," he said, "Just don't touch anything that looks breakable. Or old. Or… Just don't touch anything."

Anion ignored him, sitting down next to Marty and striking up a conversation. Drey, however, turned to Usopp. "You seem reluctant to have people in your house."

"Eh, I guess. It's weird." Usopp shrugged. "None of you believe me."

"Come on, Usopp. Your stories are insane." Drey fixed him with a stare. "And you've been going on and on about impossible things."

Usopp sat down, "Impossible, but true." He said. "I'm not lying about my travels."

"An island in the sky. A man eating island. The Pirate King. The New World." Drey listed off. "Those are impossible things for someone like you."

"Of course it's impossible for me," Usopp said. "Me alone. But I wasn't alone. I had my friends to help me."

Anion, who was listening in, laughed. "You probably spent those years sulking on another island because you failed. Face it, Usopp. We can see through your lies."

Usopp narrowed his eyes, and then there was another knock at the door. "Excuse me," he said curtly, standing and leaving the living room. Opening the door, he was met with several more people. Over the hour, everyone arrived. Kaya came in once, making up plates for her and the children for their dinner and greeting the workers.

"Hey Usopp," Gerry said, "I wanna hear one of your adventure stories!"

"Stop it," Usopp said. "If you're going to make fun of me, you can leave."

"I'm not making fun of you," Gerry said. "I just wanna hear something interesting. There hasn't been anything in the news to gossip about."

"Come on," Someone urged. "Please?"

"We won't laugh, we're bored."

Usopp sighed, "I'm going to regret this…" He began talking, recounting the issue in Alabasta, introducing Ace, Vivi, and Karue, the giant duck. People did laugh, but not mockingly, when he explained Sanji's deceit when breaking into the Crocodile's casino. They went silent when he talked about the bomb. Usopp finished, turning his back to them and holding up his left arm. "This sign on our left arm will always be a sign of our friendship!" he finished dramatically, having drawn on the X with vegetable dip.

"You know, Usopp." Marty said, "You could become a novelist. Put those stories to good use."

"Or he could publish them and have the remaining Straw-hats angry at him for exploiting their names." Anion said, not looking impressed.

Usopp grabbed a napkin and wiped the sauce of his arm. "It's all in Nami's log book, which is back on the ship." He said. "She could have sold that and gotten a ton of money. I wonder why that never occurred to her…" Usopp trailed off, looking sad. "I guess it doesn't matter now. She's dead."

* * *

It hadn't been long since the last member of the team had arrived, but there was yet another knock on the door. When Usopp went to answer it, Gert fell through, panting and clutching a newspaper tight in his fingers. "You… aren't going to believe… what was in the news."

"Are you okay, Old Man?" Usopp asked, helping him upright and bringing him into the living room. Gert grabbed a drink and took a deep breath.

"Look at this," he said sternly, holding out the crumpled paper. "I think this is the reason the News-Coo was late this week."

Anion took the paper and unfolded it, his eyes widening as he read the title. "The Straw-hats have returned?!" He shouted, drawing the attention from Kaya, who was passing the room.

"WHAT?!" Usopp shouted, tearing the paper from his grasp. The title was there, and below it there was a picture of the Thousand Sunny. Anion was right; it did say the Straw-hats were back. He stared intently at the picture. The picture was mostly of the ship, a lucky close up. Standing on deck was a black haired man, standing close to the railing and waving at the camera. It looked so much like Luffy that Usopp had to blink back tears. Another man, this one looking like Zoro, was in the background too, and a small orange-haired girl resembling Nami was standing beside the Luffy-lookalike.

"Well then," Anion said. "This proves that Usopp is lying. If the Pirate King has returned, wouldn't he have contact–"

"They're imposters," Usopp said darkly, interrupting Anion. "They're imposters who stole the Sunny." His hands were shaking.

"Usopp," Kaya said gently.

"Ha!" Anion snorted. "Even your wife isn't going to put up with your lies anymore!"

"Anion," Kaya turned to him. "Shut up." His mouth closed with a snap. She took the paper from Usopp and placed it on the table.

"I watched them die," Usopp said softly, venom still in his voice. "I watched Luffy and Nami get hit and vanish. I watched them disappear before my eyes and couldn't do a thing to save them. There is no way those are the real ones."

Marty picked up the newspaper, reading the article. "Hey, listen to this," He began reading the article. _"It began with four unidentified strangers. A group was shipwrecked on an island and were brought to Sabaody Archipelago by kind hearted Marines. The only favor asked of them was to give forward their names, to determine if they would be a threat to the general populace. These four did not reveal their names, and it was later discovered they had threatened the people they were with to conceal their names as well. One of those four mercilessly attacked a Vice Admiral and fled. This man revealed himself to be Monkey D. Luffy. King of the Pirates and captain of the Straw-hat pirates. Due to the Vice Admiral's state, the marine base was not alerted until the Straw-hats made their escape."_

"They stole the Sunny!" Usopp snapped, Kaya placing a reassuring hand on his arm.

Marty ignored him and continued reading. _"Pirate Hunter Zoro, as well as his unnamed daughter were witnessed in the area, as well as two newcomers, believed to be the children of Straw-hat Luffy. Their intentions are currently unknown. All citizens are warned to be on the lookout. Should they be spotted, do not engage and report their sighting to the nearest Marine."_

Marty looked up from the page, meeting Usopp's glare. "Is that it?" Usopp asked.

Marty nodded. Usopp grabbed the newspaper back and took a worn photo album off the mantle. People parted as he passed them, none of them ever witnessing Usopp's rage before. Usopp sat down, shoved a tray out of the way to make room on the table and placed the album in the empty space.

"What the hell is he doing?" Anion whispered to Drey, who shrugged.

"He's going to compare the pictures he has of Luffy to the one in the newspaper." Kaya replied. "Look for similarities."

"Kaya," Drey said gently, as Usopp opened the album and began flipping through it. "We all know he's lying. You have no reason to defend him."

"He's not lying," Kaya said firmly. "I've met Luffy myself. Pepper, Onion, and Carrot have met them as well, and if they hadn't set off on their own adventure, would back me and Usopp up."

Anion sighed in defeat, turning back to Usopp. He had stopped turning the pages and was now carefully extracting a photo from the page. Several of the workers, and Gert, had crowded behind him, staring at the photo in Usopp's hand. "Where in the name of god did you get that?" Gert asked.

"Nami got it from one of Lola's crewmembers," Usopp said. "When we split up, I took this." He gestured to the album.

The picture Usopp was holding was of the two of them, Usopp and Luffy, arms over each other's shoulders and grins on their faces. Lola and her crew were in the background, as well as Franky and Chopper doing their chopstick dance on the table behind them. Nami was visible in the corner, smiling and in the motion of clapping. Usopp leaned down, holding the picture next to the fake Luffy first. The two people were almost identical. The scar under the left eye, the stupid grin, the messy hair, the hat. Squinting, he could make out a grainy scar on the back of the fake Luffy's hand. That scar wasn't in the picture he was holding. It was too early for that. Luffy hadn't gotten that cut until they had been attacked. When he disappeared, it was still bleeding. He dropped the picture and pressed his hands to his face.

"It's really him," He whispered. He looked up. "He's alive." Usopp jumped to his feet and cheered. "HE'S BACK!"

* * *

Blake frowned, glancing between his father, mother, and brother. Both his parents had been surprised when he had burst through the door, waving the paper above his head. When they had read it, his mother smiled and shook her head, muttering about how durable her captain was. His father had shouted _SUPER _a few times before calming down.

"Does this mean we're leaving?" He asked, leaning forward on the table. "As in, going to find him?"

Franky nodded, "Of course! They have the Sunny and don't know how to work half the weapons!"

"There is that, and also the fact they're our friends, and owe a lot to them." Robin said, smiling. She picked up the article again, "Pirate Hunter Zoro's unnamed daughter. Believed to be Straw-hat Luffy's children. Well, it looks like you'll have lots of friends aboard."

Blake sighed, sitting down. His mother was impossible to argue with. "Besides," Franky said, "It will be a _SUPER _adventure! You like sailing, right?"

Blake had to nod. His older brother, Tom, had taught him to sail in the small boats at the docks. "Yeah…"

"This is just like that," Robin said, "But on a bigger ship. And more people."

Blake huffed, sticking out his tongue. "But I like it here."

"Blake," Robin said, "You've known about this since you were little. Besides, it isn't safe for us anymore, with the Captain back. People will be more cautious and suspicious."

"I know, I know," Blake sighed. His parents had warned him of the dangers of them being found out, the two of them being part of a very powerful crew, and both of them having incredibly high bounties. Franky grinned, patting his undersized son on the back.

"That's the spirit!" He boomed, "Now go start packing."

Both boys, tall, blue haired Tom, and lanky, black haired Blake stood from the table, dumping their dinner dishes in the sink and left the kitchen.

* * *

Milo was bored, sitting on the boards circling the mast. His phone was dead, after three days on the ocean. And his charger was at home. In the other world. He fiddled with the black device, tossing it back and forth in his hands. And even if he did have it, there were no compatible outlets on the ship. He sighed, standing and making his way to the railing. Passing his father, who was laying in the middle of the grass. Luffy sat up, leaning on his elbows as Milo passed. "Are you alright?"

Milo held up his phone. "This thing is dead, and there's no way to charge it. I was thinking of being dramatic and throwing it overboard."

Luffy tilted his head, "Well, if you want to, go ahead. But Franky might be able to find a way to charge it for you."

He looked down to the phone in his hand, shrugging. "I guess I'll hold onto it then." He shoved it back into his pocket and joining his father on the grass. "I'm bored."

Luffy laughed, "Well, Robin would say read a book. So, try reading a book."

"There are books on the ship?" Milo asked, looking around. "Where?"

Luffy pointed to the entrance to the galley. "They're in Nami's room. Ask her to get them for you."

Milo nodded, standing up. His mother and sister were sitting at the table, Nami braiding Bellemere's hair. Spread out on the counter were piles of maps and charts, most of them looking hand drawn. Nami looked up at the sound of the door, smiling softly as she saw Milo standing there. "Hi."

"Hi Mom," Milo watched as Nami finished the braid and tied it off, letting Bellemere hop off the stool and dart away. "Dad said you knew where the books were…"

Nami stood up, "Of course, follow me." She led Milo through another doorway and down a hall littered with doors. Turning suddenly, Milo had to stop and backtrack when his mother vanished into a door.

The room looked ordinary, a bed, dresser, closet, and a huge bookshelf. Milo's eyes widened, "That's a lot of books."

"Well, there are no televisions, video games, iPods… You get the point." Nami pulled out a book from the shelf, handing it over. "Try this one."

Milo read the title, The Rainbow Mist I. "What's it about?"

"The title explains it all," Nami said. "It's a true story, by the way. We've met the people who wrote the book."

Milo paused, looking down at the book again. It was thick, but he didn't have anything better to do. "Thanks, I'll read it."

Nami nodded, "Just don't ruin it. It isn't my book."

Milo nodded, "I understand. I won't."

* * *

Zoro had been dozing peacefully when he was rudely awoken by something being dropped on him. He shot up, a hand on his sword, looking around furiously. The only thing out of place was a newspaper laying a few feet away. Grumbling, he retrieved it, stepping over Luffy on his way to the kitchen. Nami would want to see it, catch up on the news. The previous days had her pestering him and Kuina on big missed events and news. There hadn't been anything big, just the frenzy of new pirates after Luffy's disappearance, but that had died down after a while.

Stepping into the kitchen, he spotted Nami and Milo exiting the hallway, the younger holding a book. "Hey Nami," He said, holding it up. "Here's the paper."

Nami took it, sitting and opening it immediately. "Hey, we're on the front page!" She held it up so Zoro and Milo could see.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least the world knows we're back."

"I wonder how Garp is going to react," Nami said, frowning. "He… he lost both his grandchildren."

"He'll probably track us down and beat Luffy up." Zoro shrugged. "He did that whenever Luffy did something stupid enough to be in the news."

"At least he's retired," Nami said. "I wonder how he'll react to Milo and Bellemere." She looked around. "Where is she, anyway?"

Milo shrugged. "Probably getting lost again."

Nami sighed, "That girl… Well, she'll find her way out eventually."

Milo snorted, leaving the room and finding a comfortable place outside where he could read.


	10. Chapter 10

**I just love snow days, especially when it means the literacy test is postponed. Not looking forward to writing that... Anyway, it just means I have more free time!**

* * *

The weather was acting up again, and Nami was staring out at the waves with concern etched onto her face. There was no island in sight, so they weren't able to dock and ride it out. The first storm they had sailed through was bad, and she didn't think the ship could take another one like that. Especially when there were only three experienced sailors on board. Milo and Bellemere had never been on a boat before in their life. And Kuina hadn't had any experience with sailing, only being a passenger for most of her life.

A drop of rain hit her cheek, and Nami didn't bother wiping it away. "Milo!" Milo looked up from the book he was reading. Only a day had passed since he started reading it and he was halfway through. "Go and find Bellemere," Nami continued. "I don't want her outside in this storm. You stay inside too, alright?"

Milo nodded, tucking the book under his arm, he began walking away.

Nami chewed on her lip, glancing down at her chart again. This area of the Grand Line was known for violent storms. There was an island about three days away, but there was no way to reach it in time. She could feel the building pressure in the air around her. She was just waiting for the snap, which would mean the storm was minutes away from hitting.

They sky was dark grey, bordering on black. Luffy and Zoro were drawing in the sails on Nami's order, hoping to repeat the circumstances of the last storm and avoid any damage or injuries. But the buildup was much larger than the last one. It might even be a cyclone. She glanced worriedly at Milo, who exited the hold with Bellemere in tow. Luffy jumped down when he and Zoro had finished, Standing next to Nami. "How close is it?" He was unusually serious, and that made Nami worry too. Whenever Luffy was this serious, something bad usually followed.

He started out over the water, Nami ordering Milo and Bellemere into the galley. Kuina darted over to the railing, leaning out over it and staring at the waves. "They're getting bigger," She said, concerned.

"I know," Nami pulled Kuina away from the edge, "Go into the galley, and stay there until the storm is over."

"Blah," Kuina pulled a face.

"Go," Zoro ordered, and this time, Kuina went without complaint.

"I don't like this," Nami said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Not one bit. This pressure… it's big. It might be bigger than a cyclone." Concern crossed Zoro's face as he glanced towards the galley door, where the three kids were. Luffy bit his lip. "The only thing we can do right now," Nami said, "Is to ride it out and see what happens."

* * *

Usopp walked down to the docks, his bag slung over his shoulder. When the party the other night had finished, Usopp kicked everyone out and swore to never host it at his house again. Ever. After his outburst, Anion had laughed at him, complementing him on his acting skills, before leaving. Usopp hadn't really cared, giddy with excitement. Gert was the only one who stayed after the others left, helping the couple pack up the food and pack it in the fridge. He had left then, still curious about that picture and Usopp's reaction.

Usopp approached him at the dock, placing the bag of trays in front of him. "No one remembered these," He said. "Can you hold them here? I'll tell the others they're there."

Gert nodded, reading another copy of the paper. "You know, they have all the Straw-hat wanted posters here." Gert held up the page. "Which one are you?"

Usopp raised an eyebrow. "You believe me, Old Man?"

"I'm curious. You've been sticking to that story since you came back." Gert replied.

Usopp pointed to one of the bounties. "I'm Sogeking." He answered.

Gert squinted at the picture. He didn't respond, so Usopp kept walking. Another ship had pulled into the docks, this one no bigger than a longboat. "Is this the next job?" Marty asked Usopp as he approached.

Usopp shrugged, "I don't know. Where's the owner?"

"Haven't seen him," Gerry answered, "But this boat's in good condition. The owner just might be docking and picking up supplies."

"Well," Anion said, "He's docked in the wrong place. He has to move."

"HEYYYY!" Drey shouted, running down the dock. He stopped in front of Anion. "I found the guy. He wants a new coating."

"A coating?" Gerry repeated, glancing down at the boat. "On something this small?"

Usopp shook his head. "It's cheaper to do a coating at the repair docks than pay for a spot at the main docks if he isn't staying long."

Gerry and Drey seemed to take the answer, but Anion narrowed his eyes.

"Hey Drey, who owns the boat?" Gerry asked as they collected the supplies they would need. He handed several cans of coating to Usopp.

"He was fancy looking," He described. "Wearing a black suit. Blond hair too. Way to fancy to be a sailor."

Usopp froze, the description surprisingly close to Sanji. "Did he have swirly eyebrows?" He asked Drey as they began walking back to the boat.

Drey nodded. "Only saw one eye, but… yeah. It was really weird. Looked kinda like a dartboard." Usopp stopped walking, causing Gerry to crash into his back and fall to the ground.

"Oi, what was that for?" Gerry asked, standing and brushing himself off. He began picking up the supplies he had been carrying, which had scattered when he fell.

Usopp dumped his armload onto the dock and pivoted. Ignoring his coworkers shouts, he ran up the docks and onto land. Sanji was here. He had seen Sanji a few times in the past years, not as much as Zoro, though. The last time Sanji had visited, Kaya was pregnant with Brandon and Merry. He scanned the marketplace, hoping to see a head of blond hair. Nothing. Usopp cursed, spinning wildly and running in another direction. He probably should have asked Drey where he had seen him.

He paused, running a hand through his hair in annoyance. "Are you alright?" Usopp looked towards the voice. Betty, better known as Granny to most of the children on the island, was standing there. Several of the children she tutored were clumped behind her. Brandon and Merry waved.

Usopp waved back, nodding at Betty. "I'm fine. Listen, have you seen a tall, blond guy around? I need to find him."

Betty pointed towards the beach, "I saw someone go that way."

"Thanks Betty," Usopp said, grinning. "Brandon, Merry, be good."

"We are!" Brandon shouted after him, as Usopp took off in the direction of the beach.

"Your father is quite strange," Betty told the two children.

"Daddy's a pirate," Was Merry's response.

* * *

"SANJI!" Usopp shouted as he reached the beach. The docks weren't very far up the way, and Usopp could see Marty heading his way. But, standing near the water, was someone very familiar. Said person turned at the sound of his name, a smile on his face.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Usopp." Sanji said.

Usopp's knees felt weak, and tears began streaming down his face. "I've missed you so much! Why are you here?"

"Have you read the paper?" Sanji asked, "Apparently Luffy's back. That doesn't sit well with me," He removed a cigarette from his breast pocket and lit it, inhaling the smoke.

Usopp smiled, "Have you seen the picture?"

"Yes. They have the Sunny, too."

Usopp shook his head, "Not that, the scar on the back of Luffy's hand. The one the marine gave him before the two of them disappeared. The picture has it!"

Sanji raised an eyebrow. "So, you think he's come back from the dead?"

"Well…" Usopp scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "I haven't really thought about how he got back. Nami wasn't in the picture. But… Stranger stuff has happened, right?"

Sanji breathed out a cloud of smoke. "I suppose… Who's that?" Sanji pointed, and Usopp turned, seeing Marty. He had forgotten about him.

"Hi Marty," Usopp greeted, "Sanji, this is a friend of mine. Marty, this is Sanji."

Sanji nodded, "Nice to meet you."

"Uh, likewise. Look, Anion's kinda pissed right now, so… I'd watch your back." Marty warned, glancing over his shoulder. "Hold on… Sanji? That's your name?"

"I don't believe Usopp mispronounced it," Sanji replied, toeing at the sand.

"As in…" Marty took a step back, quivering.

Sanji raised an eyebrow. "He's more of a coward than you are," He told Usopp.

"I am not a coward!" Usopp defended himself. "I am a brave warrior of the sea."

"Are… you Black Leg Sanji?" Marty asked, now standing a few feet away, backing up as the two pirates bickered.

Sanji plucked his cigarette from his lips and tilted his face up, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "That's right." He turned to Usopp, as Marty continued to tremble in fear. "You haven't told them yet?"

Usopp shrugged, "No one believed me. And being honest, I really can't blame them. Some of the things we did are just too crazy to believe. And can you stop scaring him? He is my friend."

"He started it," Sanji muttered, dropping his cigarette butt on the ground and stepping on it.

Usopp sighed, turning to Marty. "He's not going to hurt you, I promise. What's Anion pissed about?"

"H-h-his boat… He's ma-mad that he to-took advantage of our payment systems." Marty stuttered, staying away from Sanji's legs.

"I'm a pirate," Sanji said, "There's no way I'm paying full price just to see Usopp. I was going to head back today, but… I'm concerned about the Sunny, and Luffy."

"You can stay with me and Kaya," Usopp said. "I'm sure the kids won't mind. They'll be excited."

"Hm? Oh, right. The last time I was here Kaya was pregnant. Congrats." Sanji followed Usopp as he began walking towards the docks.

"Thanks. She had twins. A boy and a girl." Usopp explained, grabbing Marty by the collar as he backed away and made to run.

"Oh really? What did you name them?"

"Brandon, after Kaya's father, and Merry."

"Merry?" Sanji looked surprised. "Don't tell me… The Going Merry?"

Usopp nodded, dropping Marty as they reached the docks. He scrambled away. Gert looked up from his perch, frowning and looking down at the paper. Usopp led Sanji towards his boat, stopping in front of an angry-looking Anion.

"You have some nerve swindling this village. We have had our fair share of pirates land here, and know how to deal with thieves." Anion jabbed Sanji in his chest.

"If he has a problem with me attempting to swindle him, I'd love to see him against Nami," Sanji whispered to Usopp, who had to cover his mouth to hide his snort. Louder this time, he spoke to Anion. "Look, I want a coating on that boat. My boss sent me to get one. So do it."

Anion looked taken aback. "Alright, you can pay?"

Sanji nodded.

"Move his boat to Dock 1 when it's finished," Usopp said. "Take my spot. He'll be staying with me a few days."

Anion scowled, moving away. "You're friends with this guy?"

"Yes, I am." Usopp said. "I'm done for the day, I'll see you tomorrow."

"You've only been here two hours!" Anion shouted, as Usopp dragged Sanji away. He passed Gert, who pointed to Sanji and then to the page with the bounties. Usopp nodded, pointing to his eyebrow. Gert looked down, his eyes widening when he realized who the newcomer was.

"Who's he?" Sanji asked, lighting up another cigarette.

"Old Man Gert. He's the person in charge of the docks." Usopp answered. "But that's not important. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing. I've been working at the Baratie. I've seen Zoro a lot; he tries to get a free meal."

Usopp nodded, "I bet that turns into a fight."

Sanji nodded. "The marines actually showed up once. He had to run, but left Kuina with us while he got them off his tail. She's actually a pretty decent cook."

* * *

Sanji followed Usopp into the house, Kaya greeting Usopp from the kitchen when she heard the door. "You're home early, something happen at work?"

"Something like that," Usopp said, "Sanji showed up."

Kaya walked out of the kitchen, greeting Sanji as if it were the most natural thing to do. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Welcome."

Sanji took her hand, kissing it. "A welcome from a lovely lady such as yourself is a blessing, Madame."

Kaya blushed, giggling. Usopp glowered, "Stop trying to seduce my wife."

Sanji didn't look ashamed as he stood. "Please, allow me to prepare your evening meal."

"That would be lovely, wouldn't it, Usopp." Kaya replied.

* * *

The storm was howling outside, and Nami was making tea for everyone. Water was dripping on the floor, but no one could bring themselves to care. Everyone was cold and wet, having been scrambling around in the rain for the past hour, making sure everything was as secure as possible. But when Nami had felt that snap in the atmosphere, they had all but sprinted to the safety of the ship's bowels. A loud thunk startled Nami, who almost dropped the cup she was holding.

"What his us?" She asked.

Milo stood, holding onto the table as the ship swayed, before making his way carefully across the swaying floor. He reached the porthole, staring out. "I don't see anything."

"Come back," Luffy warned. "I don't think it's safe to stand that close to the window."

Milo nodded, returning to the table at the same pace. Nami placed a warm cup in his hands when he returned. "Don't put it down," She warned. "It'll fall and break. Then Sanji will get mad."

Luffy laughed, "That's not a good place to be."

Nami glanced at him, "That's because you're the reason he has that giant mousetrap."

Milo sputtered, "Giant mousetrap?"

Nami pointed to the corner, where a large board of wood was leaning against the wall. "It's a good thing you're made of rubber, Luffy. You'd have had your spine broken many times over."

Milo shuttered at the thought, taking a sip of his drink. Over the course of the next hour, there was a lot of debris hitting the side of the ship. Nami finally stood up, taking a tired looking Bellemere in her arms and headed towards the hallway with all the doors. "I'm going to put Bellemere to bed," She informed the rest of the people gathered.

Luffy nodded, and Zoro grunted. As Nami turned around, something large crashed into the side of the ship, and a cracking sound tore through the room. Zoro was on his feet in an instant, grabbing Kuina as the ship lurched dangerously. Milo toppled off his stool, sliding on the wet floor before scrambling to his feet. The ship lurched again, tilting at an incredible angle. Milo lost his footing as the far wall tore away after being speared with what looked like the mast of another ship. Luffy swore, shouting for Nami to get herself and Bellemere out of the room. "MILO!" He shouted, getting a firm grip on the table and stretching his arm towards him. Milo reached out, but missed as the ship tilted the other way, sending Milo plummeting towards the huge gap in the wall. "MILO!" Luffy shouted again, retracting his arm and sending it towards his son again. Unfortunately, Luffy wasn't fast enough, and a wave caught his arm as Milo fell towards the water. "NO!" He heard his father shout before he hit the water, being forced under by the large waves. He kicked desperately, kicking off his shoes and broke through to the surface. The ship had drifted further away. Another wave pushed him down, and by the time he surfaced again, the ship was even further away. An impossible distance to swim. He could see the faint light from the hole in the kitchen wall.

Milo kicked hard, getting as much of his body out of the water as he could and waved his arms frantically. "DAD!" He shouted, coughing as salt water entered his mouth, "DAD!" A third wave pushed him down, and this time, Milo lost consciousness.


	11. Chapter 11

Blake stood next to his father, waiting for the boarding to start. It was early morning, the fog still clinging to the water's surface and the sun barely peeking over the horizon. He yawned, still half asleep. The line moved forward slightly, and they were fractionally closer than before. It didn't help that they were at the back of the line either, and would be the last ones getting on.

"How long is this going to take?" Tom asked, looking bored.

"Be patient," Robin said, turning a page in her book. "We'll get there soon."

Blake looked around, noticing the marine ship that had docked the night before was unloading people. He counted seventeen, all of them wearing clothing with the marine logo on it, despite none of them looking like marines. Most of them were teenagers, too. And they all looked unsure of what was going on.

A marine, this one in full uniform, exited last, and seemed to be giving orders. From his distance, Blake was unable to hear what he was saying. The group shuffled towards the line Blake was in, the marine walking over to the passenger ship and speaking with the captain.

"Hi," One of the boys from the group said as they arrived, grinning at Blake.

Robin looked up, nudging Tom with her foot. "Go talk to them, it might cure your boredom."

Blake looked at the boy who greeted him. Brown hair and brown eyes. He didn't look very special. "Hey," Blake returned the greeting.

"My name's Andy," Andy said, holding out his hand. He seemed awfully bright.

"Blake," Blake replied, taking the hand.

Andy shook it vigorously, despite Blake's hand being as limp as a dead fish. "That's a really cool name. Do you have a last name? Not a lot of people do, and it's backwards, which is really strange, but I guess that's because I'm from somewhere else and not used to it. I'm still freaked out about all of this, but not going to school is pretty awesome. I miss my parents though…"

Blake blinked, not hearing half of what the other had said. Another boy, this one also having brown hair, stepped forward. "Sorry about him, he's a bit excited."

"Uh… No problem," Blake said. "It's just, you know, early."

"My name's Tim."

Blake nodded, "Why are you on a marine ship?"

Tim shrugged, "We're not from here, if you didn't catch that in Andy's rant. The marines are helping us as much as they can."

"Not from here?" Tom cut in, "Then where are you from?"

"Whoa…" Andy said, "You're hair is coooooool."

Tom didn't look impressed. Blake hurriedly cut in before his brother could get mad. "That's a good question. Where are you from?"

Robin had looked up, curious at her son's conversation.

"We're from New York," Tim said, "I don't believe you've ever heard of it before, considering it's in another world."

"Another world?" Blake repeated, skeptical.

"Yeah," Andy cut in. "We were at basketball practice, and then everything started shaking. We thought it was an earthquake! But when we tried to get outside, there was only white. Then we crashed, and there was a beach outside! It was cool."

"We saw a ship, and Milo's mom did something weird and caught its attention." Tim cut into Andy's rant. "The marines helped us, bringing the group of us back to a place called… Sabody?"

"Sabaody Archipelago?" Robin corrected, recognizing the name.

Tim nodded, "Yeah, that was it. After that, we were told we were going to be transported to a safer place, and here we are."

Robin looked up at the passenger ship. They were almost at the entrance to the ship. "Were you there when the Pirate King returned?" She inquired.

"I…" Tim trailed off. Robin saw his eyes. He knew what happened, and there was a spark of something else. He knew more than just what the newspaper said.

"My name is Robin," She introduced. The, lowering her voice, she said, "I'm a friend of Monkey D. Luffy. Do you know him?"

"You know Milo's dad?" Andy said, looking incredulous.

Robin trailed a finger under her left eye. "He has a scar here," and she pointed to her chest. "And another one here. Has a straw hat he never lets go of."

Tim was nodding. "Yeah, he does."

Robin smiled brightly. "Who else was with him?"

"Um… Milo's mom and sister."

"And is Milo's mother's name Nami?" Both Andy and Tim nodded. "Well, I never thought of that possibility," Robin frowned. "Another world. I wonder how this one and yours are connected."

Robin was brought out of her musings by Franky, who tapped her shoulder. "We're next," He said. Robin produced their papers, hers and Franky's forged, and handed them to the inspector, offering a smile. He passed the papers back and waved them through.

* * *

Milo slowly came to. He was hot, lying face down on a grainy surface. He pushed himself up, his arms shaky and coated in sand. He rolled over, laying on his back and squinting at the sky. It took a moment of wondering for him to remember what happened, and then he shot up. Scrambling to his feet, he spun in a full circle before groaning and slapping a hand to his forehead. "Great. Just great!" He shouted at the water. "Perfect! I'm on another deserted island! Brilliant! Excellent!" His shouts were heavily laced with sarcasm and anger. Grabbing a handful of sand, he hurtled it at the water. "And this time, I'm alone!" He sat down hard, crossing his legs and glaring.

He sat there for a while, staring at the ocean and hoping someone would pass by. Preferable his parent's ship. Eventually, it became too hot to be sitting in the sun, so he stood, hopping over the hot sand to avoid contact with his bare feet. He reached the tree line, basking in the shade. Pulling off his shirt, he shook out the sand, the small rocks feeling uncomfortable against his skin.

He turned back towards the ocean, and seeing absolutely nothing but water, decided to explore the forest. It was much cooler than standing around on the beach, and he might find something to eat while walking.

Stepping carefully, he stepped onto the thick underbrush of the tropical jungle, watching every step he took. He didn't want to accidentally step on anything, be it sticks, rocks, or poisonous animals. He missed his shoes. Picking his way through the forest, he emerged on the other side of the island less than half an hour later. Milo groaned, the small size meaning no villages or civilization.

He yelled again, kicking up a cloud of sand. But froze when he heard voices. He turned in the direction he heard the noise, spotting a large ship coming around the island, previously hidden by the trees. Milo yelped, covering his mouth and scrambling into the tree cover again. He hid himself behind a large leaf, wishing Bellemere was with him. She could find the best hiding places.

The ship came into view again, dropping anchor in the small bay the island created. Milo shrank back as a smaller boat arrived at shore, carrying a group of terrifying looking men. He backed away from the shoreline, hoping they wouldn't stay long. He watched as they landed and disembarked, spreading across the beach. As they walked in separate directions, he noticed one of them was a girl. Wearing the strangest clothing. She could have walked out of an 18th century painting.

The one that caught his eye though, was the one that appeared to be the leader. He had a head of blond hair, and was wearing a bright purple shirt. As he turned around, exposing his chest he saw a strange tattoo. A cross with a semicircle on the bottom half.

Now that he had seen the symbol, he noticed that most of the people who came ashore had one as well, somewhere on their body or clothing.

Milo must have stayed hidden for an hour, watching as people wandered in and out of his sight. He let out a breath of relief when a large man with a swirly mustache began readying the boat, others bringing armloads of fruits and dead animals. The mustached man looked around, saying something Milo couldn't hear.

Suddenly, Milo felt a hand grip the back of his collar, yanking him out of his hiding place. Milo let out a strangled yelp as he was thrown over the stranger's shoulder. "Hey! Put me down!" Milo pounded on the man's back, coated in purple cloth. Milo gulped, realizing the man who caught him was probably the leader. "Let me go!" He tried again, trying to hick his feet. The man was holding his knees, making it hard to move them.

They emerged from the foliage, Milo blinking in the sudden increase in light. "Oi," The man called. "I found something interesting!"

"What is that?" Another voice asked, and Milo felt the man stop.

"Is that a kid?" Another voice questioned.

Milo felt the man move, dumping the teenager onto the ground. He looked up, surrounded by several very large people. Had he thought they were big when he viewed them from the tree line… they were huge! Milo swallowed hard. "Uh… hi."

The mustached man laughed, "I like this kid. What's your name?"

Milo scrambled back, "Don't scare him, Vista," The leader said. "Are you alone here?"

Milo clamped his mouth shut, trying to back up more. He hit something, and when he looked up, he saw a scaled face. The scaled man grabbed his arm, pulling Milo to his feet. "You look familiar," He said gruffly, as Milo backed away. He was surrounded.

"Don't hurt me!" Milo shouted, holding his hands up in surrender. "Please, I… didn't mean to come to this island. I didn't find anything! Please…"

He winced as the leader stepped forward, squeezing his eyes shut. He opened them again in surprise when he felt a hand on his shoulder instead of pain. The blond man was staring at him, "Hey kid, we're not going to hurt you." He met Milo's eyes, frowning at the terror in them. "I'm serious, kid. We aren't going to."

"I need to find my parents," Milo said quietly, looking away. "I fell off the ship."

"Fell off the ship?" the blond repeated. "Did you get caught in that storm?"

Milo nodded, biting his lip as the man called Vista frowned. "Were you on a merchant ship? Because if you were, there's no way it would have survived that. Even we avoided that."

"Vista," The leader said sternly, "I said don't scare him."

"I wasn't on a merchant ship," Milo said suddenly, startling even himself with the outburst. "But we had no choice but to sail into the storm."

The leader nodded at the information, "You can come with us," He said. "We can drop you off at another island. Or wait until we find your ship."

Milo bit his lip, backing up again and looking hesitant. "I don't know…"

"C'mon kid," The only female in the group said. "It'll be fun! We need a cabin boy."

Milo looked appalled, and the people surrounding him laughed. "My name's Marco," The leader introduced. "I'm the acting captain of the Whitebeard Pirates."

"Uh, I'm Milo." Milo said, not using his last name. Both of his parents had told him to avoid using it until he had a bounty on his head. The name Monkey was feared throughout the seas, and the less connected he seemed to the Pirate King the better. Well, he probably could have introduced himself as Milo Monkey, as the names in this world were backwards.

Marco didn't question the name, gesturing for him to board the longboat. He still hesitated, wondering how his family was faring. Milo hoped they were okay, as he stepped onto the wood. He didn't trust them yet, but they seemed nice enough, and they were willing to help him get off the island.

* * *

Sanji was standing at the stove, both of his hands occupied as he prepared dinner. Kaya, Usopp, Brandon, and Merry were sitting around the table, the two children listening intently as Usopp and Sanji recounted their battle with Gecko Moria on Thriller Bark.

"Did you really beat up a strong pirate, Daddy?" Merry asked.

"Of course I did!" Usopp said. "Her name was Perona, and I stopped her with cockroaches."

"Ewww," Merry muttered. "I don't like bugs."

Sanji laughed, adding sauce to one of the pots on the stove. "Don't worry, I don't like bugs either. They get into your food, and it's really annoying. Especially when marines ruin their own food for attention."

"That's gross," Brandon put in, sticking out his tongue.

"Well, I can assure you there are no bugs in this food," Sanji said, pulling down plates and starting to arrange the food on them. "I used to feed a King, there's no room for imperfections." He dished out the food, placing each plate delicately in front of each person. "Enjoy."

Brandon and Merry picked up their utensils, Kaya warning them to eat properly, and not stuff their faces. Usopp looked eager too, and Kaya repeated her warning to him. "Be polite."

"Sorry," Usopp said, "It's been a while since I've eaten Sanji's food. I've missed it."

"It's nice to hear that some people enjoyed it," Sanji said, "Food is meant to be enjoyed, not shoved down your throat."

"That might happen again," Usopp said, "With Luffy being back and everything."

"You really think it's him?" Sanji asked. He had asked before, but the idea never stuck to him.

Usopp shrugged. "There's no way Duval would let the Sunny fall into the wrong hands, and then there's the scar on the back of his hand. Remember the marine that attacked us? He was the one who gave it to him."

Sanji picked up the crumpled newspaper, his eyes resting on the picture. "The marine stabbed Luffy's left hand, and it went all the way through," Sanji recalled, "It was the only injury he sustained. But when that marine aimed an attack at Nami, he jumped in the way, intending to take the blow."

"But it wasn't an attack," Usopp continued where Sanji left off, "It was some kind of weird light. It hit them, but didn't hurt them."

Sanji grimaced, "But then they started to vanish, and the marine was laughing, even as we pushed him overboard. Nami and Luffy were completely gone before we could do anything."

"And that was the end of the Straw-hat crew," Usopp finished sadly. Everyone was quiet, even the children, who were listening intently.

"I haven't heard that story before," Brandon said quietly. "It's sad."

Usopp nodded, "It is sad. That was the day the Pirate King stepped down from his throne." He took a deep breath. "But, he just might be back to reclaim it."

Sanji leaned back in his chair, "I'll only believe it when I see them again."

Usopp grinned, "I'm sure we will."

* * *

"Yohohohohoho! Oi Laboon, look at that! There's another ship that made it over the mountain!" Warren looked up at the sound of a voice. And was met with the strangest sight.

The worker back at Syrup Village, the one who claimed to be a part of the Pirate King's crew, wasn't lying when he said they had to cross a mountain to get into the grand line. Maybe he had been to the Grand Line before.

Before him, was a skeleton, with a huge afro. "Are you alright?" The skeleton questioned, leaning down.

Around Warren, the rest of the crew began to stir, and groans could be heard. "We're fine," Warren told the skeleton, "Just… a bit shaken up."

"Yohoho! That's expected." The skeleton nodded, looking around at the people lying around. "You're welcome to stay and rest up a bit."

Warren stood up, "That would be helpful," he admitted. "My name's Warren."

"Good name," the skeleton laughed. "I am Brook," he bowed. "And this," Brook gestured towards the ocean, "Is Laboon."

Warren, and a few others who were conscious followed Brook's arm. A huge whale loomed over the ship, one of its eyes staring down at the tiny ship. "That thin'… is huge" Warren heard someone say.

Warren paused, remembering the worker that had repaired the ship. Usopp? He had said something about having a skeleton friend named Brook? "Oi, Brook, do you know someone called Usopp?"

The skeleton looked surprised, a great feat for someone without a face, at the name. "You know my friend?"

"He helped us," Warren said, "Fixed our ship up good. Told me to send you his regards."

Brook laughed, clapping his hands together. "It's wonderful to know he's alright. I wonder how the rest of the crew is doing?"

"Crew?" Warren questioned, looking around as everyone began standing and stretching.

"Didn't he tell you?" Brook asked, jumping off the ship and landing on shore. "We were part of Luffy's crew once."

Warren sat down hard. "So… he really wasn't lying? You're part of the Pirate King's crew?!"

Brook laughed again, walking up to the wale and patting its nose. It was then that Warren noticed the painted Straw-hat skull and crossbones painted on the front of it. "He was a good friend," Brook said. "I can never thank him enough for helping my friend Laboon. So when he asked me to join his crew, I said yes, of course." Warren stood again; several other people listening in. "When he died, I came back here, and help pirates start their journey. It's great fun, and I've been doing it ever since the old man who used to do this died."

"We'll stay a few days," Warren decided. "To get ready. We'll need it."

Brook looked happy, "Excellent! I'll have people to talk to! I do hate being alone, it makes me cry. Even if I have no eyes for tears to come from. SKULL JOKE! Yohohohohoho!"


	12. Chapter 12

Nami cursed loudly and colorfully, causing several people around her to widen their eyes. Luffy put a hand on her shoulder, his other hand keeping hold of Bellemere's. "We'll find him," He assured, "He's alive. I know it."

"I know he's alive," Nami said, twisting and burying her face in his chest. "He's strong. But I'm worried, and these damn people aren't being any help."

Luffy rubbed her back soothingly as Bellemere hugged Nami around the waist. Nami smiled down at her, wrapping her arms around Bellemere's shoulders. Luffy went to readjust his hat, but pouted when he remembered it was back on the ship with Zoro and Kuina. They had docked at the other end of the island, away from prying eyes.

Nami took a breath, calming herself and approaching another person. She held up a photo of Milo, "Have you seen this boy?" She asked.

The man paused, peering down at her over his sunglasses. "Why? Your boyfriend run off? He looks a little young for you."

Nami bit her tongue to keep from insulting the man. "He's my son. Have you seen him?"

The man laughed, "How much you gonna give me for the info?"

"Mommy!" Bellemere called, having stayed by Luffy. "You should electrocute him!"

The man raised his eyebrows, "Electrocute?" He watched Luffy shush Bellemere. "A little thing like you?" He turned back to Nami, who was fuming.

_"Have you seen my son or not?" _She demanded, her voice full of fury, _"Answer my question or get out of my way."_

"Like I said," The man replied, "How much you gonna give me?"

"Hey Nami," Luffy said, coming to stand beside her, "Do you mind if I beat him up?"

Nami took Bellemere's hand, "Go for it," She growled, taking a few steps back.

He eyed the smaller male up, "You're tiny," He said, "This will be easy."

Luffy cracked his knuckles, "If you answer her question, I won't hurt you," He gave the man one last chance.

"Brave one, aren't you," The man leaned down. "I ain't seen the kid," he sneered, "But I'm still willing to fight you."

Luffy turned back to Nami, whose face fell. "Go back to the ship," Luffy said, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Nami nodded, walking down the street and dragging a protesting Bellemere, "But I wanna watch Daddy fight!" Luffy heard his daughter say before they rounded a corner.

He turned back to his opponent in time to see a fist flying his way. Luffy raised his hand, catching the fist in his hand. The man's eyes widened in surprise before jumping back, pulling his hand from Luffy's grip. "Lucky shot," He muttered, rubbing his wrist. "You don't want to be fightin' me," he warned. "I'm a pirate."

Luffy tilted his head, "Really? Well then, we're more alike than I thought." He took a step forward, raising a fist. "I'm a pirate too."

"Can't be a very good one," The man said, lunging at Luffy and swinging a leg. "Traveling with your family and everything."

Luffy jumped over the leg, bringing his foot around in midair and landing a blow on his opponent's chest. He stumbled back, wheezing. "They're strong," Luffy told him.

By now, their scuffle had attracted the attention of several bystanders, standing around and watching curiously.

Angry, the man launched himself forward again, but Luffy sidestepped and the man as sent tumbling into the dirt. That brought a laugh from the crowd. "You're boring," Luffy whined, "I want to fight." He ducked as a newcomer swung a fist at the back of his head. Luffy grabbed the arm and yanked the man over his head, slamming his back against the ground. "That's not very nice," Luffy scolded, "Sneaking up on people is bad. Someone could get hurt."

"That's kinda the point," A third man shouted, emerging from the crowd and charging. Luffy sighed, grabbing the man's arm as he tried to attack and throwing him over his shoulder and into a building. The crowd parted as he flew by.

"Is that it?" He asked the first man, who was opening his eyes. "Cause if it is, I'll be going now. I have to find my son."

The man struggled to his feet, eyes widening at the two other men sprawled out on the road. "My captain will defeat you!" He cried, running off and leaving his comrades in the dirt.

Luffy crossed his arms and stared after him. "He seems like a coward. Who was he?"

An older man with a long beard stepped forward, "That was a bad move, sir. His captain is Doggy Henton. He has a bounty of 45 million."

"I've never heard of him," Luffy said, frowning. "Besides, my bounty is higher."

"You will," The old man warned, pointing to the two unconscious men. "He doesn't take kindly to people attacking his crew."

"They started it," Luffy said, "Me and Nami just wanted to ask him a question." He shrugged, "Now that we know Milo isn't here, we'll move on until we find him."

"Is Milo your son's name?" An equally aged woman stepped beside the old man. Luffy nodded. "Good luck finding him. If he was lost in that storm… I pray for his safety."

Luffy grinned, "Milo may not know it, but he's strong. He can take care of himself. Don't worry, he'll be okay." He turned, walking back up the path and out of sight.

"What a strange man," the old man said. The woman nodded in agreement.

"Daddy!" Bellemere jumped into Luffy's arms as he boarded the ship. "Did you beat him up?"

"I did, and two more. And I think I pissed off his captain." Luffy answered, as Bellemere climbed onto his shoulders. "There might be more fighting."

Zoro grinned, "Great, I need some practice."

Nami sighed, "Let's set sail."

"Go around the other side of the island," Luffy insisted. "I wanna fight the guy's captain."

"And this time I can watch," Bellemere insisted, the grin on her face identical to Luffy's.

"Alright, alright," Nami sighed, turning towards the helm as her family cheered behind her. "But don't take too long, we still have to find Milo."

She steered the ship out of the bay, and caught the wind as she turned it towards the island's harbor. Zoro stood, placing his hand on his swords in anticipation of the fight. They sailed into sight of the harbor. A large ship, bigger than the Thousand Sunny, was docked there, flying a Jolly Roger. Luffy grinned as they sailed closer, spotting the man he had fought earlier. He was talking rapidly to his captain, though they were too far away to hear what they were saying.

The captain didn't look impressed, his arms crossed. "HEY!" Luffy shouted, waving. They both looked up. "DO YOU STILL WANT TO FIGHT?" The man's jaw dropped, staring at the flag, and then at Luffy. The captain's eyes widened comically, taking a few steps back and dropping to the ground. Luffy started laughing as the docks cleared, people shouting at the sight of the Pirate King. The captain, Doggy Henton slowly shook his head, making Zoro sigh.

"I guess we're not fighting."

Luffy stuck out his tongue, making a face at the other ship. Bellemere joined him, copying his movements. They sailed past, not stopping and heading out to find the nearest island to continue their search.

* * *

Blake sat near the railing of the ship with a book in his hands, frowning as the wind turned the pages. A few minutes later he gave up, closing the book and resting it on his lap. He was approached by the two people he met in the line, who sat down in front of him.

"What do you want?" Blake asked, leaning back against the railing.

"To talk," Andy said, smiling. "I'm bored, and there's no internet service here."

Blake blinked, "Internet?"

Tim shook his head, "It's something from our world. It doesn't exist here."

That's right, Blake thought, these people claimed they were from another world. Blake nodded at Tim's explanation, resting his elbows in the book in his lap. "Tell me about your world. I'm curious."

"As am I," Robin said, appearing beside the group. She sat down next to her son, smiling. "I'm curious as to where Luffy and Nami spent the past sixteen years."

"I still find it hard to believe Luffy is from this world," A new voice interrupted. Simon frowned at Robin.

"How is he doing?" Robin asked Simon.

Simon was startled by the question. "Well, he's happy, I guess. He works at the docks with me."

"And Nami?" Robin questioned.

"She's a newscaster, reports the weather."

Robin was nodding, "That seems appropriate, she is the navigator."

"Milo's dad used to tell us really cool stories when we were younger, about adventurers." Andy said suddenly, frowning as a thought crossed his mind. "He didn't use names; he used titles, like captain and navigator. If you were his friend, you would have a title too, right?"

Robin nodded, "I'm an archeologist," she answered, "And Franky is the shipwright. Do those sound familiar?"

Andy nodded, "Yeah…"

Simon paused, "He did say those stories were true, right?" He asked his son.

Tim nodded, "Yeah. Bellemere hasn't heard them through though. I wonder how she's faring. She's only twelve."

"She also has her entire family on this side," Simon pointed out. He shook his head, "Her father's a good man," he admitted. "And Nami could kick my ass if she wanted to. They're safe."

Franky, who had overheard the conversation, stepped in. "Bellemere… isn't that Nami's mother's name?"

Robin nodded, "I guess she named her daughter after her mother. I wonder why Luffy named his son Milo. He said something about honoring Ace and Sabo once, right?"

Franky nodded, "Maybe he meant honoring them in a different way. How old is Milo?"

"Sixteen."

Robin nodded, "That would be it then. The pain was probably too fresh to bear calling someone else Ace. For Nami, it was thirteen years. But for Luffy, it was only four."

"For what?" Simon asked.

"Bellemere, Nami's mother, was killed by a pirate named Arlong. That would be twenty-nine years ago now. Ace was Luffy's brother, and was killed by a marine, Admiral Akainu."

"Luffy had a brother?" Simon asked, surprised. "I never knew…"

"He had two brothers," Robin told him. "Ace and Sabo, although Sabo died when they were younger."

"Why are you telling me this?" Simon asked, after a long silence.

"Because you're going to hear a lot while in the care of the marines," Robin replied. "It's best you knew the full truth, and not a muddled up fragment of the truth. You might even meet the man who killed Ace."

Simon swallowed hard, realizing his friend had a lot of secrets than he first realized. He had thought Luffy to be an open and optimistic man. He couldn't lie very well, so Simon didn't worry about him keeping secrets. But in all the events that had transpired so far, this other world and Luffy's connection to it. His friend was born in another world, and came through by accident. Then, in a twist of events, he was returned to his home world, where he was a King. The Pirate King. And now brothers that he never mentioned. Luffy was one complex man. And that scared Simon.

Robin was watching him curiously, "You really don't know anything about him, right?"

"I didn't know he could be so secretive. What else has he done? Has he killed anyone? He's a pirate, right?"

Robin winced. It was small, and hidden, but Simon saw it anyway. "There was one man, and now that he's back, maybe two."

Tim and Andy reeled back at the new information. "Milo's dad killed someone?!"

"You might want to keep your voice down," Robin warned. "Yes, he did. One man, one despicable man, who deserved it."

"No one deserves to die," Tim snapped back. "And what's the 'maybe two'? Is he planning to kill someone else?"

"Marshall D. Teach is the one who handed his brother to his death," Robin said, anger creeping into her voice. "And Akainu murdered Ace in front of Luffy. Neither of them are good people."

"So you feel no guilt in causing their death?" Tim asked.

Robin looked him in the eyes. "No."

* * *

There were whispers as Sanji and Usopp walked through the town. Usopp was grinning, having explained to Sanji the night before that no one in the town believed he was a part of the Pirate King's crew, and having Sanji here would erase the disbelief.

"You know, Usopp," Sanji started, "My wanted poster is as unrecognizable as yours."

"Nah," Usopp said, waving his hand. "Yours is pretty close."

He spent the rest of the morning nursing a bump on the head.

Anion approached them later on, frowning at them both. "There's been rumors going around," He said. "Marty's saying Black Leg Sanji is here." He turned to Sanji. "I'm assuming he means you."

Sanji nodded, his expression not changing. "What's it to you?"

"You're a pirate," Anion said. "Isn't that enough?"

"Anion," Usopp sighed, "There are lots of pirates in the East Blue. We fix their ships."

"None of them have a bounty as high as his, though," Anion said, not taking his eyes away from Sanji.

Sanji shrugged, lighting a cigarette. "I come in peace," He said sarcastically. "Is that enough to calm you down?"

Anion looked angry, silently fuming as Usopp laughed. But he didn't do anything. "I still want to know what you're doing here," Anion ground out. "Everyone's wondering why such a famous pirate has shown up here."

"I work nearby," Sanji answered seriously. "And Usopp's my friend."

"But how the hell do you know him?!" He cried out, frustrated. Usopp spotted Drey standing at the edge of the street, looking as concerned as Anion.

Sanji exhaled, releasing a cloud of smoke and looking annoyed. Usopp answered the question. "I joined the Straw-hat pirates before Sanji did. In fact, Sanji joined right after me. I don't care if you don't believe me. It's the truth. Frankly, I'm getting annoyed you refusing to believe the fact I'm part of a powerful pirate crew. So you can either accept the fact I am or shut up and get out of my way."

Anion closed his mouth with a snap and stalked away, growling under his breath. "Wow," Sanji said, smiling at Anion's retreating form. "I'm impressed. How long have you been putting up with that guy?"

"Long enough," Usopp answered, "It's the fact I don't have a bounty on my head. It's on Sogeking."

"You still have the mask, right?" Usopp nodded, patting his bag. "I always keep it. Like I said, there are lots of pirates in this sea. And we do get threatened. If there comes a time the Great Usopp is needed, I will defend my village!"

"You do that," Sanji said. "I meant, why don't you just show them. Wouldn't that make it a whole lot easier?"

Usopp shrugged, not looking concerned. "They can mock me all they want. It's when they start making fun of the rest of you I get mad."

"That's sweet. I'm sure the moss head relishes in your loyalty," Sanji laughed.

Usopp laughed too. "He drops by a lot, and the kids love Kuina. He never stays longer than a week though. I guess that's a good thing. He never leaves the house, arriving late and leaving late. No one here had ever seen him."

"And I suppose claiming the Pirate King's first mate visits a lot, but is never seen adds to the idea you're lying." Sanji verbalized what Usopp was thinking.

"Yeah… I'll be grateful when Luffy gets here," Usopp said. "Kaya wants to come with us this time. Just think about it!" Usopp exclaimed, throwing an arm around Sanji's neck and holding out an arm dramatically. "The Straw-hats back in action."

"Yeah," Sanji said, trying to pry Usopp's arm off his neck. "Great. Let go, you're stronger than you look."

* * *

Milo sat on the deck of the Moby Dick II, holding his phone and sighing as he took off the back. It was waterlogged, and a stream of water started pouring out when he removed the battery. "Great," He muttered. "Perfect."

"What's that?" Milo glanced up, seeing Vista.

"My phone," He sighed. "It's broken now."

"What's a phone?"

Milo snorted. "It's like a transponder snail," He said. "We use these where I come from instead of the snails." He held up the device. "I wonder if I dry it out it'll work…" he mused, shaking loose water from the battery.

"That's strange," Vista said, eyeing it. "I can't say I've ever seen something like that before."

"Probably not," Milo agreed, "I'm not from around here."

"That explains why you don't know who we are," Vista grinned. "Honestly, who hasn't heard of the Whitebeard Pirates?"

"Me," Milo said.

"Have you heard of the Straw-hat pirates?" Vista tried.

"Not until last week," Milo replied, shoving his useless phone into his pocket and standing. "There are no pirates where I come from."

"None?"

"Absolutely none. Zip. Nada. Zero."

"Are you sure?" Vista leaned forward.

"YES!" Milo exclaimed.

Vista laughed at Milo's outburst, "Okay, okay. Anyway, I was sent to bring you to Marco. He wants to talk to you."

Milo shrugged, "Lead the way."

When Milo had boarded the ship yesterday, he was terrified and didn't know what to expect. He was met with chaos. That was the only word he could think of to describe the crew. People were everywhere, shouting, yelling, and running around. None of them questioned Milo's appearance on the ship, several of them introducing themselves and welcoming him to the ship. Milo had lost his fear pretty fast after that. Especially when the tiny Haruta tackled a man three times her size for calling her short. They were crazy, but he could deal with it.

Vista led him into the ship, stopping in front of a door and knocking. Marco answered the door, stepping aside to let them in. As Milo stood in the center of the room, he got a good look around. The room was neat for the most part, the desk in the corner covered in paper. There was also a black transponder snail sitting in the corner of the desk, sleeping.

"Thanks, Vista," Marco said, glancing at Milo. "Milo," He glanced up at his name. "If you're going to travel with us, we've got to talk."

"About what?" Milo asked, his fear returning. "I mean what I said. I'm not going to steal your treasure or anything."

"It's not that," Marco said. "If you're going to travel with us, we need to find you a job on the ship."

Milo relaxed instantly, nodding. "Dad used to say that if you didn't work, you didn't eat."

"Your father's right," Marco said. "Since you know nothing about sailing, I think I'm going to have to take Haruta's suggestion. We really do need a cabin boy."

Milo deflated at the suggestion. "A cabin boy?"

Marco shrugged, "It's not a bad job. Just clean up the division commander's rooms. I would fear for your health if we let you near the barracks." He cracked a smile, and Milo laughed.

"That doesn't sound too bad," He admitted.

"One more thing, Milo," Marco said, as Milo turned to leave. "If you have any secrets, you're free to keep them secret, unless they will harm the crew."

Milo swallowed, but nodded. "I understand."

Marco smiled at him. "Great. Welcome aboard."


	13. Chapter 13

The Thousand Sunny had travelled to all the islands that had been in range of the storm. It had been nearly a month since they lost Milo, and Nami was getting more worried with each passing day. Even Zoro, who barely knew him, was starting to get concerned. Luffy looked ready to destroy something if he didn't get answers soon. Where the hell was Milo?

Bellemere was unusually quiet, sitting beside Kuina and allowing her to play with her hair. She was worried about her brother too.

"Hey," Zoro spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "I see an island," He pointed starboard.

"Should we try it?" Luffy asked, his face neutral.

Nami bit her lip, nodding. "We should." She turned the wheel, the wind catching the sails, and they began turning.

They didn't bother sailing behind the island and walking to any civilization this time. Enough people knew of their return, and there wasn't a marine base on this island. Like every other island, the harbor cleared of civilians as soon as they were sighted. There were several workers left, looking nervous as they started securing the ship to the dock.

One of them let out a whimper as Luffy jumped down and looked in their direction. "Hey," He started, pulling out the picture. "Have you seen this person?"

Luffy held out the picture, waiting for someone to look at it. One man did, stepping forward and taking the paper from Luffy's hand. He stared down at the picture, frowning. "Who is this?" He asked.

"My son," Luffy said. "Have you seen him?"

"Your _son?_" The dock worker exclaimed, looking down at the smiling boy in the picture. "I… well, I have."

Nami, who was leaning over the railing and listening, let out a startled gasp, throwing over the rope ladder and descending as fast as she could. "You've seen him?" She demanded.

"Y-yes," The worker answered, stuttering as Nami advanced. "He… was on another ship. The Whitebeard Pirates. He was with them."

"He was with Marco?" Luffy asked.

The worker nodded frantically, "Yes. He seemed to be traveling with them."

"Did he say anything?" Nami demanded, stalking forward and grabbing the man's collar.

He shook his head. "No, I didn't talk to him. I swear!"

Luffy put a hand on Nami's shoulder. "Did he look alright?" Luffy asked.

The worker paused, and then nodded. "He looked happy."

Nami laughed, releasing the worker and falling to her knees. "Thank god, he's alright." Luffy helped her to her feet, the two of them smiling. "Is he still here? Or did he leave with them?" She asked, holding onto Luffy as her legs stopped shaking.

"I don't know," The worker admitted. "I went home before the Whitebeard Pirates left, so I didn't see if he got back on or not."

Luffy nodded, "Thanks for your help."

The worker backed off, joining the others and vanishing from their sight. Nami leaned into Luffy, taking deep breaths and letting her worry vanish. Luffy wrapped his arms around her, laughing. "He'll be fine with Marco," Luffy said. "We can keep looking for the rest of the crew."

"We're still going to find him," Nami said stiffly.

Luffy nodded, "Of course. But this will be good for him. Being on his own, he'll gain some independence."

"I suppose you're right," Nami nodded. "Should we keep going or stock up while we're here?"

"Let's get supplies." Luffy decided. "Zoro's been going crazy without any sake."

"It's his own damn fault we're out of it," Nami muttered. "Oi! Zoro! We're going into town for supplies. If you want any booze you have to get it yourself!"

* * *

The passenger ship had dropped off the Nico family, as well as the other worlders and anyone else who chose this island to exit on. It wasn't as large as the island Blake had been living on before, but it was busy, with people bustling about. Blake stuck close to Robin, this being the first time away from the island he was born on. Tom, however, was off with Franky, heading towards the docks to speak with the shipwrights.

Simon looked around warily, keeping hold of Tim, who in turn looked annoyed.

They had been on the ship for several weeks, and everyone was stir crazy. It made Franky miss the Sunny and its speed. The passenger ship barely made five knots on a good day. Andy, not having any parents to hold him back, ran off, after complaining about the ship and missing land. Simon had tried to hold him back, but he disappeared before Simon could grab him.

"Don't worry," Robin said, her eyes closed. "He's fine."

"And how would you know that?" Simon asked, mildly curious. Robin ignored the question, glancing around the market.

"I wonder if they have a book shop here." She mused, Blake brightening at the idea. She closed her eyes again, before turning to the left. "There's one this way."

Tim turned to Blake, "How does she know?"

"Mom's got a Devil Fruit ability," Blake shrugged, running to catch up.

He caught up a moment later, Robin having paused. "There's a commotion at the docks," She said, watching as people scrambled over the top of the hill. "I wonder what's going on." She began walking forward against the crowd.

"Are you insane?" Someone shouted, as she swerved to avoid her. "Get out of here!"

"What's wrong?" Robin asked.

"The Pirate King is down there!" The stranger waved her arms. "He's going to kill us all!"

"That might be an exaggeration," Robin said, looking to the top of the hill, "Is the Pirate King really here?" She asked the woman, but she was gone.

"The Pirate King," Blake said. "Luffy?"

Robin smiled. "I hope so." She continued walking; ignoring the warnings others were throwing her way.

* * *

Franky walked along the beach, wondering why the docks looked so empty. He could only see a small portion, but these docks were supposed to be bigger than the ones on the other side of the island, where they were dropped off by the passenger ship. Bigger meant more people. So where were they?

Tom was a distance in front of him, looking excited at the prospect of seeing new and bigger ships. "Hey Dad," Tom called back, shoving his hair out of his face. "The docks are empty. Is that normal?"

"No, It isn't," Franky called back. "What do you see?"

"There's a pirate ship. Could that be the cause?"

Franky jogged the rest of the way to his oldest son, his jaw dropping when he saw the ship Tom was referring to. "That…"

"It's a really good ship," Tom continued. "Although, there's a hole in the one side. I wonder what the pirates could have been doing to cause that. Do you think they were caught in the storm?" Franky didn't respond, his eyes glued to the ship. "Dad?"

"That… that's the Thousand Sunny!" Franky exclaimed. He laughed, slamming his forearms together. "That's the _SUPER _Sunny!" He started running, leaving his son on the beach.

"Dad!" Tom called, "Dad! Wait!"

Franky skidded to a halt in front of the ship, his eyes sparkling. "It _is _the Sunny!" He pressed his hands against the wood. "Oh how I've missed you," He rubbed his cheek against the wood, looking content.

Tom blinked, not sure what to make of his father's actions.

"Hey!" A worker approached them, "I wouldn't touch that ship," he warned. "It belongs to the Pirate King."

"I know!" Franky laughed, climbing aboard.

The worker turned to Tom, "If that's your father, I suggest getting him off that ship and get the hell out of here. Straw-hat was already in a bad mood when he docked."

Tom looked up at the ship, where Franky was gleefully prancing around on the grass. "This is Pirate King Luffy's ship?"

"Yeah…"

"Dad built this ship. I think he'll be okay." Tom replied.

The worker blanched, "Built it?"

Tom nodded, as they heard Franky shout "ZORO!" And then, "TOM! Get up here!"

Tom gave a little wave to the worker and climbed up the rope ladder, joining his father on deck. The cyborg had a green haired man trapped in an embrace, and a girl about his age was off to the side, laughing at the trapped man. Another girl, this one younger and wearing a straw hat, was also laughing. Tom had to admit, the expression on the green-haired man's face was awfully funny.

"Put me down," The green haired man Tom assumed to be Zoro demanded.

"But I missed you," Franky whined, sounding like a five year old.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. I missed you too." Zoro managed to free and arm and hit Franky upside the head. Franky didn't seem to feel it, as he only tightened his hold. Zoro grimaced, looking around at the three others on board. "A little help would be nice."

"Come on, Dad," The dark haired teenager said, wiping away tears. "Be nice. Your friend misses you."

The younger girl kept laughing. After a minute more of struggling, Tom took pity on the pirate. "Dad, you might want to let him go…"

Franky blinked and released his hold, allowing Zoro to drop to the ground. Franky had tears welling up in his eyes as he looked down at his friend. "WAAA" He cried, "It's so good to see you! You're okay!"

"Eh… yeah. I'm okay. You're looking okay too," Zoro nodded towards Tom. "That your kid?"

Franky nodded, gesturing to Kuina. "She yours?"

"He, yep."

There was a moment of silence, "Who's that?" Franky nodded at Bellemere.

"I'm Bellemere," Bellemere said, pulling the hat down over her eyes in a sudden bout of shyness.

"She's Luffy and Nami's daughter," Zoro elaborated. "They're out getting supplies."

Franky paused. "You said… Luffy and Nami's daughter… right?"

Zoro nodded.

"As in… Luffy and Nami."

Zoro nodded again.

"They… they're together?" Zoro nodded. Franky looked shocked. "I never knew Nami could love people! I thought she only cared about money!"

Zoro snorted, then doubled over, laughing. "Don't let her catch you saying that."

Franky looked terrified at the thought. Zoro kept laughing. Then Franky started laughing. The two friends had to lean against each other as their laughter made their knees go weak.

Kuina stared at the two men, their faces red. "I'm Kuina," She introduced to the blue haired teenager.

"Tom," He replied.

* * *

Robin and Blake arrived at the top of the hill, staring down at the Thousand Sunny with a smile. Simon froze at the sight. "That was the ship Luffy left on," He said, as Tim stopped beside him.

"I wonder if Milo's there," he wondered aloud.

"Milo?" A very familiar voice repeated. Robin turned, coming face to face with someone she thought she'd never see again.

"Nami?" Robin asked, and the orange haired woman broke out into a grin, dropping the bags she was carrying and pulled Robin into a hug.

"Robin!" She squealed, tightening her grip. Robin laughed, hugging the younger pirate back.

"It's so good to see you!" Robin said. "I read about you in the paper, but that's not as good as seeing you in person!" She pulled back, their arms still clasped. "How have you been? I read about children?"

"Two," Nami grinned, and then noticed Simon. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for the nest ship to take us to… well, I have no idea where we're going." Simon shrugged.

Nami turned her attention back to Robin. "One of your children, his name is Milo, correct?" Robin asked. "Simon's son told me."

Nami nodded, "Milo and Bellemere. Milo's not actually on the ship right now, he's with Marco and the Whitebeards."

"Why is he with them?" Robin asked, as Luffy came into view, rounding a corner.

"He… Might have fallen off the ship." Nami scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Bit Marco picked him up. Actually, we found out earlier today he was with them. He's fine."

"Well, it will be a while before I can meet him then," She turned to Blake. "Sorry, Blake. You'll have to put up with Tom."

"Is that your son?" Nami asked, looking over at Blake. "It's nice to meet you."

"Uh…" Blake started. "You too, I'm Blake."

"Luffy!" Robin said, releasing Nami to hug her captain, despite the bags piled in his arms.

"Robin!" Luffy returned. "It's you!"

"We can finish the reunions on the ship," Nami said, picking up the bags she had discarded. "I think Franky's there," She added, looking down the hill.

"Franky!" Luffy exclaimed. "Awesome! Let's go! We're up two more members. I can't wait to see everyone else."

* * *

Milo was sitting in the crow's nest, bored. He didn't mind lookout duty, but nothing interesting ever happened while he was on watch. Nothing but blue water and sky, on most days. Today was different though, a thick fog surrounding the ship. Izo, who was also on watch, predicted it would clear up in the afternoon. Izo caught Milo's eye when he looked down, raising his hands and silently asking if he had seen anything.

Milo shook his head, sighing and drumming his fingers on the wood. It was times like these, when he had time to think, that he missed his parents and his home. It had been over two month's since he was separated from them.

"Want some company?"

Milo jumped at the sudden noise, turning and coming face to face with Namur, the 8th division commander. "That would be welcome," he said, nodding.

Namur climbed the rest of the way into the crow's nest, making himself comfortable before speaking again. "What are you thinking about?"

"My parents, I guess," Milo said, his eyes on the grey water, scanning the edge of the fog. "I still haven't seen their ship."

"That's why Marco put you on watch duty," Namur laughed.

Milo nodded, "I guessed as much. I spent more time watching the water than I did cleaning. It does get boring though."

Namur nodded in agreement. "You never talk about your family."

"Yeah… Dad told me not to use his name." Milo admitted, "And…" He trailed off.

"And you're loyal to him," Namur finished. "That's the reason you haven't accepted Marco's offer."

"That's one reason," Milo said. "I'm not strong. I don't know how to fight. I already feel like a burden just being on your ship."

Namur raised an eyebrow at Milo's confession. "You know, we once took in someone who constantly tried to kill the captain."

Milo snorted, "You're kidding."

Namur shook his head. "I'm not. He was on the ship one hundred days before joining the crew."

"And you still let him?"

"Of course," Namur said. "He grew on the crew. He could have joined in the first month, but… he had pride issues."

"Wasn't anyone concerned about your captain?"

"Nah," Namur waved a webbed hand dismissively. "Pops could take care of himself."

"And then he joined the crew…" Milo mused, thinking about the possibility.

"He became second division commander," Namur said quietly, his eyes darkening slightly. Milo didn't say anything. He knew the position of second division commander was empty. They were silent for a while, Milo staring out at the ocean.

Suddenly he frowned, leaning out. Towards the port side there was a dark shape moving in the fog. "Hey! Izo!" Milo shouted, catching his attention. "Port!"

Izo, and everyone who heard him, turned port. Just in time to see a large marine warship emerge from the fog. Milo ducked as a cannon shot sounded, the ball flying over his head. He didn't protest when Namur grabbed him and jumped over the side of the crow's nest. He landed hard, releasing Milo, who darted to the hold. It was his job to stock the cannons.

Before he could make it to the door though, a huge man landed in front of him, having jumped from the rapidly approaching marine ship. Had it been two months earlier, Milo would have gawked. But he was used to the inhuman feats the people of this world were capable of.

"You look new," He jeered, leaning down. Milo took a step back, taking in the marine's face. He had grey hair and grey stubble, looking very old. "Who're you?"

The marine was knocked over by a flaming foot, Marco having seen the marine land on the ship.

There was a jolt as the two ships collided, Milo falling to the ground, sprawled in the same position as the old marine. He was younger though, and scrambled into a sitting position before the marine started moving.

"Ow," The old marine moaned, finally sitting up. "That hurt. I thought I asked you to be gentle with me, Marco."

"You _know _him?" Milo asked, standing and using the wall for support as the ship stopped rocking.

"He's an acquaintance," Marco said, standing back as the old man clambered to his feet. "His name's Garp."

Milo looked between the two crews, who were standing around. "Aren't you two enemies?"

"You _are_ new," Garp laughed.

"I'm one of the Emperors," Marco explained. "If we were to go down, there would be chaos in the seas. I refuse to become a Warlord, so the marines have to apprehend us, if they can."

Garp kept laughing. "We have to put on a show," He simplified. "The seas would become uncontrollable, and there would be more fights over territory and such. It's easier to keep them in power, but we can't admit it. Our pride as marines won't allow alliances."

Milo ran a hand over his face. "Wow. This place is weird."

Marco tossed something at Milo, who caught it. "Try fighting this time."

Marco had handed Milo a silver pole. There was a small button in the middle, and when Milo pressed it the sides extended until it was as long as his body. "What's this?"

"A weapon," Marco said. "I want you in this crew, and that means you're going to have to know how to fight."

"You want me to fight?" He asked, incredulous.

"No one here will kill you," Marco assured, Garp nodding in agreement. "It will be good practice."

Milo spluttered, staring at the pole in his hands. "I don't know how to fight!"

"That's why you need practice. Just try it," Marco encouraged.

He tried swinging it around, earning a few laughs from both the Whitebeard Pirates and the marines. He reddened, but ignored them. If he could learn how to fight, he might impress his father. His father didn't care much about appearances, but Milo did. His father was the King of the Pirates here, and that made him feel small.

He swung it again, before leaping at the nearest marine, bringing his pole down hard. It hit his shoulder, sending the marine crumpling to the wooden deck. A loud cheer went up from the Whitebeard Pirates. Garp laughed, "Well then, shall we start?"

There was no clear answer, but the pirates and marines began fighting. Milo twisted through the crowd, ending up at the railing and watching the fight. It looked serious, but now that Milo knew it was an act he could see subtle actions that indicated it wasn't. A marine knocked to the ground but not killed. A pirate conversing with a marine as they clashed. Someone telling a joke.

"And I thought my family was weird," Milo muttered. He watched Garp emerge from the fight, coming to stand beside him.

"I wish you could have met mine," Garp laughed. "My son was a revolutionary, and my grandson was a pirate!"

"Both my parents are pirates," Milo said. "And I didn't know until recently."

Garp patted Milo on the head, shaking his head. "You have potential, kid. What's your name?"

"Milo," Milo answered.

"Heh! Good name," He commented. "You look like my grandson."

"I don't know your grandson. I'm not from around here, so I don't know a lot of people."

"Where are you from, then?" Garp asked, "And who are your parent? You said they were pirates. Do they have bounties?"

"I was born in New York," Milo answered, "Very far away. And I can't tell you who my parents are."

"Shame," Garo said. "I could have passed on a message if I saw them."

Milo shrugged, watching the battle progress. After a few minutes, Garp shook his head. "We could be doing better things right now," He muttered. "FULL RETREAT!"

The fighting ceased, the marines filing back to their ship. Marco stood at the rail. "See you again!" He called, waving.

"You guys are insane," Milo told him seriously, pressing the small button again, the pole shrinking. Milo held it out, but Marco waved him off.

"Keep it. I gave it to you."

Milo sighed, "You know absolutely nothing about me, and yet you still want me in the crew. Why?"

"You remind me of a friend," Marco said, "And besides, you have potential."

"Garp said the exact same thing," Milo told him. "Said I remind him of his grandson."

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Well then, we were talking about the same person. My friend is his grandson."

"Who?"

"Monkey D. Luffy, the Pirate King." Marco said. "You and him are remarkably similar. Except your eyes. He had darker eyes, and yours are brown."

"Hm," Milo said, biting his lip and debating on telling him or not. Marco turned away and began giving orders, so Milo kept his mouth shut. _That man_, he thought, thinking of Garp, _is my Great-Grandfather._


	14. Chapter 14

Garp held out the picture someone on his ship had managed to take of the Whitebeard pirates newest crewmember. He frowned at the boy in the picture, Milo. There was a really strong resemblance to his grandson, and according to Gadding and Figgs, Luffy had returned. Garp gritted his teeth as he handed the picture to the other marine in the room.

"How high should his bounty be?" Garp's subordinate asked.

The question brought Garp out of his musings. "20 million," he answered, returning to his thoughts.

"Isn't that a bit high?"

"He did attack an officer," Garp pointed out. The marine shrugged and began making the poster. "Have you seen Gadding around? I thought he arrived yesterday."

"I think he's in the barracks," The marine said, handing back the picture. "I'll send the posters out with tomorrow's newspaper."

Garp nodded, folding the picture and sticking it in his pocket before leaving the room.

"Gadding!" Garp shouted as he tore open the door to the higher official's barracks. "I need to talk to you!"

A figure rose from one of the beds. "Whadda ya want?"

"Sabaody Archipelago," Garp got straight to the point. "You put in your report Straw-hat Luffy had returned. Are you sure it was Luffy you saw?"

"I've already told you," Gadding sighed. "It was him. His arm stretched and he had the hat."

"Was there anything else? Something you forgot to mention in your report? Other people with him?"

Gadding shook his head. "There was a woman and a little girl, and they were in my report." He told Garp. "A wife and daughter. I didn't see anyone else with him."

"Are you–"

"I'M POSITIVE!" Gadding shouted, cutting him off and grabbing Garp's shoulders, shaking him. "I only saw a woman and a little girl! If there was anyone else with them, they weren't there! Ask Figgs if you want anything else. He was with them longer."

Garp sighed, thinking of his grandson. "How does he come back from the dead?"

"He might not have been dead," Gadding said. "We only assumed. He could have been in hiding."

Garp shook his head, "He would have written to me if he was in hiding. He would have somehow assured me he was okay."

"He's a pirate," Gadding said, talking slowly as if to ensure Garp understood the fact. "He doesn't care."

Garp paused, silent for a minute. Then he said, "You do realize the reason he has such a high bounty is because he's willing to go to any lengths to protect the people he cares about, right?"

* * *

Robin was in a great mood. Currently, she was sitting on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, watching Franky try to strangle Luffy while crying and shouting nonsense.

"They're quite lively, are they not?" Robin asked Nami.

Nami just sighed, "They're going to draw even more attention to us if they don't shut up. Then we'd have to get out of here."

"Should we stop them?"

Nami shook her head. "It's alright, they miss each other."

"I think you're right about us getting out of here," Robin said. "The sooner the better. The ship we were travelling on before was carrying people associated with the marines."

"Yeah, Simon and the others." Nami said. "They came with us from the other world, although I suppose you already know this. I warned them not to mention Luffy and me a while ago. They probably know who we are now, so I don't think they'll be talking."

"Is that why Mr. Simon left so fast?"

"Probably,"

A loud thump caught the attention of both women. They looked over to the boys, watching as Luffy managed to hit Franky upside the head and Franky fall to the deck.

Bellemere's eyes were shining. "Are they gonna fight?" She asked excitedly.

"Your daughter is quite violent," Robin commented. "She's just like you."

"I know," Nami gushed, "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Hey!" Zoro's voice echoed down from the lookout tower. "I see marine ships!"

"We should set sail, then," Luffy said, tapping the unconscious shipwright with his foot. "Oi, Franky. Wake up," Franky groaned, but rose. "We have to get out of here," Luffy continued. "Fast."

Franky jumped up from his position on the ground and his eyes lit up. "Roger!" He saluted, and then vanished below the deck.

"Everyone," Robin warned. "You had better hold on."

"What's gonna happen?" Bellemere asked.

Nami grinned, "We're going to fly."

Franky reappeared on deck, taking his designated place at the helm and maneuvering away from the dock. They started sailing towards the marine ships, probably here because the pirates were sighted. The ship was vibrating, the cola engines already powering up and waiting to be used. Luffy stood at the bow, Nami stepping up beside him and Bellemere holding onto her father's hand. Tom was standing beside Franky, watching him work, and Blake stayed by Robin. Kuina was coming down the ladder to the lookout tower, excited.

There were shouts from the Marine ship, but Franky was ready. He pulled a lever and grinned. "Coup De Burst!" He shouted as the ship rocketed from the water, soaring over the marine ships. The children were screaming, but after the initial shock wore off, they began laughing. The landed a minute later, far enough away from the marines. All four children stumbled as the ship hit the water, not used to the impact.

"Alright!" Luffy shouted, jumping up onto the figurehead. He pointed forward. "Let's go!"

* * *

Simon, Tim, Andy, and several others from New York watched the ship fly off into the distance. "Wow…" Was the only word they were able to muster out.

* * *

"It's cold," Milo complained, shivering. He looked up as snow began to fall.

"It's a winter island," Haruta pointed out.

"It's still cold," Milo muttered, wrapping his arms around himself.

Despite the cold, the island was a sight to behold. It was white, and in the distance there was tall, drum shaped mountains rising up and disappearing into the cloud cover. They sailed closer, and Milo could make out people gathered around a small bay.

He turned when he heard footsteps behind him, and got a face full of cloth. He tore the imposing fabric away, revealing it to be a coat. "You might want to put that on." Marco said, walking over to the helm and began giving directions to the one steering. Gratefully, Milo pulled on the coat, relishing in the warmth.

Less than five minutes later, the ship had dropped anchor in the small cove, barely large enough to fit it. Marco hadn't bothered putting on warm clothing, and had jumped over the side to speak with a large person wearing an equally large green coat.

"That's Dalton," Haruta said. "He's a friend, and removed this kingdom from the World Government."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, this place is safe for pirates. Like us. This place is under the Pirate King's protection though, so no other crews are willing to attack. Even though the Pirate King is dead, the doctor on his ship lives here." Haruta pointed to the small creature standing next to the massive, green man. "That's Chopper," She said, "He's the best."

"Is he human?" Milo asked, eyeing up the small creature.

Haruta laughed. "No. He's a reindeer."

"A bit small for a reindeer, isn't he."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Haruta warned. "He could kick your ass. And then patch you back up and kick it again."

Milo shuttered, not replying.

"Come on," Haruta grabbed Milo's arm and pulled him over the side, landing in a spray of snow. "There aren't many winter islands on this side of the Grand Line. Let's build a snowman!"

Milo felt immature, but he went along with it. Staying on the ship would have been boring anyway. They were joined later by several members of the 12th division. It was when Henry threw the first snowball that the fight began. Milo ducked behind one of the snowman for cover, not willing to get hit by a snowball thrown by someone with inhuman strength. He saw an opening in the crowd, and he leapt toward the trees and better cover.

He ducked behind a tree, which was stronger than a snowman, and caught his breath. His arm was tired from hurtling snow. He rubbed his sore shoulder, glancing to the side when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. It was the reindeer doctor, his arms braced against the tree and glaring suspiciously.

"Hi," Milo waved.

The reindeer yelped, darting back. "Who are you? I've never seen you before!"

"I came with Marco's ship," Milo said, raising his hands, showing he meant no harm.

The reindeer came a bit closer, still eyeing him suspiciously. "So you're a Whitebeard Pirate?"

Milo shook his head, "No, I'm just travelling with them. My name is Milo. Haruta said your name was Chopper, right?"

Chopper nodded slowly, slowly closing the distance between them and began poking him. "You're a pirate though… right?"

Milo shrugged, "I guess. Wasn't raised as one though."

"Me neither," Chopper said. "I'm a doctor."

Milo nodded, "Haruta said you were a great one."

The reindeer broke out in a grin. "Saying I'm great won't make me happy, you asshole."

Milo raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Haruta was in his sight, and Milo scooped up a handful of snow, packing it tightly. "What are you doing?" Chopper asked.

"Getting in a hit," Milo grinned. "I'm not inhumanly strong like everyone else. I need to use strategy to beat them." He aimed, bringing his arm back and hurtling it forward, hitting Haruta directly in the back of the head. "Oh… shit…" Haruta had turned toward him, her eyes full of fury. "RUN!" He took off, not wanting to face Haruta's wrath.

Chopper was keeping up with him, and then he transformed, looking more like a reindeer than before and running on all four legs. The sudden change caused Milo to stumble. "Get on!" Chopper said, and Milo didn't complain, jumping onto his back and holding onto his neck.

"CHEATER!" Haruta shouted, as Chopper put distance between them.

Chopper stopped a few minutes later, as they reached the village, and the two of them collapsed in the snow, laughing. Marco and Dalton had been walking down the road when the pair emerged from the trees. Dalton laughed at the sight, while Marco sighed. "What did you do?"

Milo rolled over and pushed himself up, resting on his elbows. "I hit Haruta with a snowball."

Marco shook his head, a smile crossing his face. "You have to deal with the consequences. Chopper," Marco acknowledged the reindeer. "I see you've met Milo. How are you?"

"Great! Milo's nice. And he smells good." The little reindeer had transformed again, into his smaller size. "How's your wound doing?" Chopper had taken on a serious expression, walking up to the pirate.

Marco rubbed his shoulder, "It's doing better," He told Chopper. "Really, I haven't been pushing it."

"You were hurt?" Milo stood, brushing snow from his coat.

"He was being reckless," Chopper corrected. "He was lucky he wasn't far from here. You might have lost your arm if that infection had gotten worse."

Marco looked embarrassed, "It was a stupid mistake. I let my guard down. We were fighting marines, and one of them nicked me with a sword."

"I thought you and the marines were… well, not friends, but…" Milo trailed off, gesturing uselessly with his arms to get his point across.

"That's just with Garp and his crew," Marco said. "Other marines, not so much."

Milo groaned, "I'm never going to understand," He muttered.

Dalton was eyeing him curiously. "You weren't here last time Marco stopped by."

"He's new," Marco said.

"I haven't joined yet," Milo elaborated. "I just want to find my parents."

Dalton nodded, taking both explanations. "How soon do you plan to head out?"

"As soon as we can," Marco said, "I have a bad feeling, and I want to be on the water as soon as possible."

Dalton nodded again, calling out to several people as he walked away. Marco looked over at Milo and Chopper, who were talking. "Milo, since you're here, could you help carry supplies?"

Milo looked up, nodding. "I'll help too," Chipper said. Milo was handed several bags, and he followed Dalton through the snow and back to the ship. He ducked behind the larger man when Haruta came into sight, relaxing when they got on the ship. There were four more trips before everything Marco had bought was loaded, and during the third trip, Haruta had spotted Milo and tackled him to the ground. Marco had to pull her off of him.

Finally, they were ready to go. Chopper had forced Marco to sit down so he could examine the remains of his wound before he let them cast off.

"It was nice meeting you, Chopper," Milo said, as Chopper prepared to leave.

Chopper smiled, "You're nice," He told Milo. "I want to see you again. Are you going to stay with Marco?"

"I don't know," Milo said. "The only reason I agreed to come with him in the first place was because I fell off the ship I was on, and landed on an uninhabited island. I was just going to travel with him until I found my parent's ship."

Chopper's face fell, "Will you still visit?"

"Of course," Milo said. "You don't seem to mind pirates, so I'll ask my parents to stop by."

Chopper's sad expression changed. "Promise?"

Milo nodded, following as Chopper left the room and walked outside, climbing up onto the railing. "Goodbye," he said, jumping off.

The Moby Dick II cast off, sailing out of the bay. Milo waved from the rail until Haruta jumped him again, dragging him away from Chopper's view.

"Chopper," Dalton said as the ship sailed further away, "You aren't usually this friendly with strangers. Why was he different?"

"He smelled nice," Chopper said. "And he was nice."

"What did he smell like?"

"He smelled like Luffy," Chopper answered, smiling.

Chopper sat on the snow bank the rest of the afternoon, watching the ship until it vanished from his sight.

* * *

After Haruta dragged Milo off, Marco sent Namur to rescue him. Milo wasn't strong enough yet to put up with what she would do to him. Namur came back with Haruta slung over his shoulder, shouting, and Milo trailing behind, looking relieved.

Marco smiled at the trio, but when he turned away, a frown crossed his face. He still had a bad feeling, and having water surrounding them wasn't helping that twisting in his gut. No one else seemed worried, many of them trying to get into the sake they just picked up.

He walked away, climbing up to the crow's nest and looking around. He froze suddenly, the sky becoming brighter, despite the sun and clear sky. He jumped down and circled the ship, but no matter where he went, the brightness continued to increase. He arrived back at the bow, where Milo was standing. He had a strange expression on his face, a mix between confusion and disbelief.

"No way…" Milo muttered.

"Do you know what's going on?" Marco asked him. By now, others were beginning to notice the strange glow around them.

"I… I think," Milo said. "I wasn't outside last time, but… When Mom opened the door it was all white… It's the same. I think…"

Milo was stuttering, looking nervous. Marco put a hand on his shoulder. "I said you're welcome to keep your secrets unless it harms the crew. Right now, I feel like the crew is in danger."

Milo nodded, "I wasn't born in this world," He said, no hesitation in his voice.

Marco was taken aback, "What?"

"I was born in another world," Milo repeated. "It sounds crazy, but it's true. We… came to this one by accident. I was inside when it started, but when we looked outside, everything was white. Just like the sky is now."

Marco looked up, the sky continuing to get brighter, almost white. A distinct ring was forming and starting to descend. "Another world?"

Milo nodded, "I'm almost sure this is the same thing. I have no idea what's going on, but…"

"Will it hurt anyone?" Marco demanded. "Is that a threat?" He pointed up at the ring.

Milo paused, "No, It won't hurt anyone. Bumpy landing, but that's it. If we end up in New York, or anywhere in my world, we'll be okay."

Marco gritted his teeth, looking around at the crew. "Everyone hold on tight. Milo, is there any way to avoid it?"

"I don't know," Milo answered truthfully.

Marco grimaced, "Hold on," He repeated his order. "I don't know what's going to happen." He turned to Milo. "I expect a full explanation after this."

"Yeah…" Milo didn't like the expression Marco was giving him. The ship was in trouble, and Milo felt guilty. He grabbed onto the rail until his knuckled turned white, frowning as Marco started shouting orders, preparing to outrun the light. "Is it following me?" The sudden thought startled him. Had this happened to his parents? Probably not, they were from this world. But he wasn't. Neither was Bellemere. Was this happening to her too?

The ship lurched forward as they began to pick up speed. Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough, and the ring of white descended on them. Milo squeezed his eyes shut at a fierce howling roared in his ears, and he held on. Then suddenly, almost as abruptly as it started, everything stopped. The light faded from behind Milo's eyelids, and he cracked open an eye, looking around.

"There wasn't an aftershock," He mused, releasing the railing and looking around. There was only ocean when he looked out, but when he turned around, there was New York. The city scape was impossible to miss, the buildings rising taller than he had seen on any island they landed on.

Marco approached him. "Milo, where are we?"

"Welcome to New York," Milo said. "This is where I was born."


	15. Chapter 15

Police Chief Calvin Webster was hoping to have a relaxing day. The day before they had busted a drug dealer, and Webster was up into the early hours of the morning filling out paperwork. He was sitting with his feet on the desk, eating chips. That was when he got the call.

"Hello?" Webster placed his feet on the floor as he picked up the phone. The other officers in the room heard frantic jabbering on the other end of the line, and then watched as his eyes went wide. "WHAT?!" Webster slammed the phone back onto its cradle. "Keep working," He told the others before rushing out the door. He sprinted to his car, jumping in and driving as fast as the speed limit would allow.

By the time he arrived at the water front, it was crowded with people. He had to park a few streets down and shove his way through the crowd. He was stopped when he reached a barrier set up to keep people back, but was let through when he flashed his badge.

The docks were crowded, full of other police officers and the coast guard. Many of them were staring at the ocean. He looked over as well, following their gaze and seeing the reason he was called. A large ship was floating a couple of miles off shore.

"What happened?" Webster demanded, and was pointed in the direction of the head coast guard. He repeated the question.

"There was a flash of light," The head coast guard told Webster. "We first thought it was just lightning, but then that ship appeared." He gestured in the direction of the water. "It was the same way the high school disappeared. The same energy was dispersed, according to the scientists."

"So… you think it's the same phenomenon?" Webster asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Well," The head coast guard looked over his shoulder. "They seem to think so."

Webster let his gaze travel up and down the docks until it landed on a group of lab-coats crowded around a folding table, which was covered in equipment. "Is there any plan to search the ship? Or talk to the people on board?"

"Yes," The head coast guard said. "You, me, and a couple others are going. We have confirmed there are people on board."

"Are you sure it's safe to approach them?" Webster asked, as he was lead towards a motorboat.

"Who knows?" The head coast guard replied. "We don't even know if they speak our language."

"It's not safe to send a helicopter, that's for sure," Someone else laughed. "Came back with a scorch mark."

"So you're going to send people?!"

"The scientists believe the only reason they attacked the helicopter was because they've never seen one before. We probably should have realized that earlier, considering the ship is made of wood and has no engine. They might have thought it was a threat." The coast guard climbed into the boat. "If we send people, they might realize we don't mean any harm."

"Might," Webster repeated under his breath, but climbed in after the head coast guard anyway.

It was a relatively short journey, everyone growing cautious as the motorboat slowed down as they neared the large ship. The head coast guard, who introduced himself as Mathew Book, explained what had happened before Webster arrived.

They had sent out a helicopter when the ship had first arrived, and it had returned with scorch mark on its side. The people aboard had claimed a blue fireball had hit them, and returned with the confirmation of people on board.

The driver cut the engine completely once they reached the ship, using the remaining momentum to steer the boat alongside the ship. The ship was quiet as the group of New Yorkers stared up at it, but after a few seconds, voices started drifting down.

"Idiot," A teenager's voice was heard. "I already told you it wasn't a weapon."

"How could we know that?" An older, male voice questioned. "That thing could have been a bomb or something similar."

"It was a vehicle." The teenager's voice retorted. "There were people inside. We just appeared in a flash of light. They're probably curious."

Webster frowned. They were curious, but he would have never assumed that. He was always prepared for hostile encounters.

"That thing could fly."

"So can you!"

That statement caught his attention as well. Fly?

"Look," The teenager continued, "I know where we are. As long as we don't give them a reason to attack, we'll be fine."

"What about the boat that just arrived?" A new voice asked.

"Like I said," The teenager sounded annoyed. "Curiosity." Then Webster saw someone appear at the railing, looking down at them. "They're not armed," He said, talking to someone he Webster couldn't see.

Book sighed, "We wish to speak with you!" He shouted up. The teenager looked down again. Another person joined the teenager at the railing, this one older and blond. The newcomer was more intimidating, his glare plainly visible. "We want to determine if you are peaceable people."

The teenager started laughing and the blond turned away, shouting unintelligibly. Several long minutes passed before the blond reappeared. "Who the hell are you?"

"Calvin Webster!" Webster shouted up, "Police Chief."

The blond turned to the teenager, "Translation?"

The teenager shrugged, "I guess he'd be a marine, but that's more like the coast guard… A land marine? That's it."

"Let them up," The blond sighed. "Haruta, put that away. Vista, get the ladder."

"Marco," An unseen person addressed the blond. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I don't want to start a fight in unknown territory." Marco replied.

A larger person came into view, this one sporting a fancy black mustache and carrying a large bundle of rope. He tossed one end over the side and secured his end to the railing of the ship. The other end hit the water with a slap.

"Haruta, I told you to put that away," Marco vanished from sight as Webster caught the ladder.

"Is this safe?" Another officer asked.

"I don't know," Webster sighed as he began climbing. The black haired teenager hadn't moved from his spot, leaning against the railing with a strange expression.

"Welcome aboard," He greeted as Webster's feet hit the deck. "I'm going to have to warn you not to freak out if you see anything… unusual."

Book, and one of the scientists joined him on the deck as well, the others opting to stay on the small boat. The teenager repeated his warning to the newcomers. The three New York citizens stared at the people gathered on the ship, an unusual group. Marco, the one who seemed to be in charge, approached them again, and the teenager started backing away.

"Hold on, Milo," Marco addressed the teenager, who winced slightly. Marco turned to the three. "My name is Marco. I'm the acting captain of this ship. Before I answer any questions, I want to know where we are, and how to get back."

He looked intimidating; his arms crossed and eyes glaring. Beside him, Milo ran a hand through his hair and frowned.

"You're in New York City," Book started, "In the United States."

The names were completely lost on the man, so the teenager elaborated. "New York is a city, and the United States is like a kingdom."

"We don't know how to get you back," Book told Marco.

Marco grimaced, and Milo turned to the scientist. "How much do you know about the two worlds?"

The scientist frowned at the question, but answered. "The first shifts were detected twenty years ago. How do you know about the two worlds?"

Milo turned to Marco, ignoring the lab-coat. "Did anything happen twenty years ago that could have caused this?"

Several of the older members broke out in whispers, quieting when Marco looked over. "You know something," The scientist accused.

"There was an event," Marco began, his hands curling into fists. "That might have caused this. A… crack in the air was created."

"Marco," Izo whispered, "Are you going to –"

"I want to get back," Marco gritted out. "I'll only say as much as I need to."

The scientist had produced a notebook from one of his pockets and begun scribbling, "A crack in the air? Do you know what caused it? What happened?"

"The cracks vanished when… the cracks vanished after a while," Marco said. "That's all I can tell you."

The scientist looked disappointed. Milo swallowed. "My parents were born on the other side," He told Marco. "Your world. But… I was born here. They crossed over too, a long time ago. They told me they were attacked by someone and woke up here."

"Yo-you… were born here?!" Webster exclaimed.

Milo nodded, "This means it's been going on for a while. I mean, my parents came over before I was born."

"And how old are you?" Book asked.

"Sixteen," Milo answered. "But… coming over this time wasn't as rough as last time…"

Webster was thinking about what the boy had said. He was from this world? "Hey, kid."

"It's Milo,"

"Sorry. Milo," Webster corrected. "How long ago did you cross over?"

"Just over two months ago," Milo answered. Marco's eyes widened slightly, and the scientist leapt forward.

"You were one of the people in the school when it disappeared!" The scientist exclaimed, grasping Milo's face, turning it upwards.

"Yeah," Milo tugged at the offending hands, but the scientist didn't let up.

"What?" Both Brook and Webster turned to stare at Milo.

"Are they alright? What happened?" Webster continued, eyes wide. He had been assigned to that case and always had the parents of the basketball team calling and annoying him. He wanted to know.

"We ended up on a beach," Milo said, shoving the scientist's hands away. "Marines picked us up. Everyone's fine, as far as I know."

"Why are you not with them?" Webster asked, suspicious.

"Because my parents are from that world," Milo repeated. "Dad's ship was on the island the marines brought us to, and he met an old friend of his. So we set sail."

Webster sighed, "At least they're not dead."

"How come you're not freaking out?" Milo asked. "I mean, a pirate ship just appeared out of thin air."

"I'm sure people are concerned about this," The scientist said. "But when the school vanished, the government made the information on the shifts public." He paused for a moment. "Did you say pirate?"

The crew burst into laughter, making the three New Yorkers step back a bit. "As long as you don't strike first, we will have no reason to attack. But if you do strike first, we will defend ourselves." Marco warned. He held up a curled fist. But then Milo shook his head. Marco caught the action and lowered his fist. The strange actions made Webster curious, but he didn't say anything.

Book took a breath, "Alright. We need to get this ship to the docks. Are you able to sail there?"

Izo turned, "You dare insult the skills of the Whitebeard Pirates?"

Book didn't know how to respond. Luckily, Milo saved him the trouble. "Don't answer that," Milo told him. "They take pride in their skills. You don't insult them and get away with it."

"Aren't you scared, being on this ship?" Book asked, watching Webster shout down to the boat, probably relaying instructions. He heard the roar of a motor, and assumed Webster sent them ahead to warn the people waiting at the docks.

"Not really," Milo answered, shrugging. "They're good people. Saved me."

"Saved you?"

"Yeah, I was separated from my parent's ship and ended up on a deserted island. They picked me up," Milo explained.

"That's good…" Book was now watching the pirates prepare to set sail. They were very efficient. "But won't your parents be concerned?"

"Nah," Milo waved his hand dismissively. "They're pirates too. Although, I think Namur is the only one who knows that."

"Namur?" Book questioned.

"A pirate. A fishman, actually. Remember when I said not to freak out about anything unusual?" Book nodded. "He looks like a fish. Has gills and everything. Apparently there are also mermaids. It's a really cool place, despite the dangers."

"Gills…" Book repeated.

"Mhm," Milo nodded. "I think he's down in the hold right now. Or sleeping." Book just nodded, following the teenager as he walked to the bow. "I owe Marco a full explanation, and I'm not looking forward to that conversation."

"About being from this world?"

Milo shook his head, "My parents. They're famous over there. And Marco thinks they're dead. Apparently they were friends." Suddenly, Milo jerked upright. "That reindeer!" He exclaimed. "Haruta said he was part of his crew! That means…" Milo trailed off, knocking his head against the railing and staying there. "Damn, I should have realized it earlier. I've heard that story several times over."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Peachy."

"Are you sure?"

Milo sighed, "I just want to find my parents, and staying with Marco and the Whitebeard Pirates is my best chance."

The ship started moving, and Book could see the motorboat they came over in arrive at the docks. Milo brightened at the prospect of actually being in New York again, and soon enough, the ship came to rest at one of the larger docks. Police were shoving people away from the docks, keeping them as far away from the pirate ship as possible. The only people allowed through were the reporters from Fox News. Marco ordered everyone to stay away from the edge after Milo explained what the strange devices some of them were carrying.

Milo was ignoring Marco's order, standing next to Andrew Taylor, the scientist, at the ladder.

"The people down there are scanning for any of the shift energy," The scientist told Milo. "We're trying to predict where the next one will occur, and hopefully get you back."

Milo nodded, "That's good. Marco will be happy to hear that."

"Are you going to leave with them?"

Milo hesitated, and then nodded. "Yes. My parents are there. I can't abandon them."

"Well, I wish you luck. I'll be back tomorrow. Is there anything I can bring you?"

Milo pulled something from his pocket and held it out. A cellphone. He had a cellphone. "Can you fix this?"

"How the hell did that thing survive?"

Milo raised an eyebrow, "I took care of it," He said simply. "Mom said a friend of hers might be able to fix it, but since I was separated…"

Taylor took the phone and pocketed it, "I'll try."

"Thanks," Milo grinned.

Taylor climbed down, and Milo saw one of the cameras pointed in his direction. He waved, grinning, before walking back to the galley, dreading the upcoming conversation with Marco.

* * *

The Thousand Sunny had been on the water for a while now, and everyone was getting stir crazy. Bellemere and Tom had formed an unlikely bond and passed time playing pranks on Kuina, Blake, and the original members of the Straw-hat crew. It was cute at first, but after a while, even Nami was getting tired of it.

"Bellemere," Nami scolded. "If you do that again, I'm going to ground you."

"You can't ground me! I'm a pirate!" Bellemere sung, dancing around with a bottle of whipped cream in her hand.

"I'm still your mother, young lady." Nami said, snagging the whipped cream from Bellemere's hand. Zoro glared at it, wiping his face clean of the stuff. "Apologize to Zoro."

Bellemere stuck out her tongue. "Nah!"

"Luffy! Deal with your daughter!" Nami said, giving up and marching away.

Luffy stood, taking the bottle from Nami and grabbing Bellemere, hoisting her up on his shoulder. Bellemere shrieked, laughing. But then abruptly cut off as Luffy stuck his finger in the bottle and drew a line across her forehead with whipped cream. He drew another line, this one starting between her eyes and ending at her nose.

"Daddy," Bellemere started tearing up. "I don't like this."

"Well then, if you don't like it, do you think Zoro liked it?" Luffy asked.

"No…" Bellemere started pouting.

"Then what do you say?" Luffy stuck his finger in his mouth, removing the whipped cream from his fingers.

"I'm sorry, Zoro." Bellemere said softly.

Zoro stood and patted Bellemere's head. "It's okay, squirt."

Bellemere grinned, and Nami slapped her forehead. "Is that the way to discipline your child, Luffy?" Nami asked, looking murderous.

"You said to deal with her!" Luffy defended.

"Now she needs a bath. _Honestly_." She picked Bellemere up and vanished into the ship.

Luffy looked down at the whipped cream in his hand and shrugged, starting to eat it. Zoro grimaced while Kuina laughed at him. Robin was off to the side, lecturing Tom for the prank and trying to hide a smile.

"I guess having kids aboard is going to be an adventure in itself," Franky said, Blake coming to stand beside him.

Suddenly, Blake ran to the railing. "It's a ship!"

Everyone turned to stare out at the sea to see a marine ship, unnervingly close. "No one's on lookout duty," Robin said.

A cannon shot was heard, the ball splashing into the water. Nami ran out of the kitchen door, Bellemere in tow and a cloth in the other. Bellemere's face was clean, and she looked scared. Another cannon was shot, and Zoro was on his feet, a sword readied. The cannonball landed in the water again, although this one was closer.

"Get inside," Nami ordered, dropping the cloth and readying her Clima-tact. Bellemere didn't protest, Blake and Tom following her inside. Kuina drew her sword, standing protectively in front of the door. Robin, Franky, Zoro, and Luffy took their stances, preparing for the battle.

The ship got closer, and Luffy gasped. "Gramps?"

Zoro jumped up, using the railing to launch himself up. He sliced another cannonball in half, the two pieces falling harmlessly in the water instead of hitting the mast. "It's Garp!" Zoro said, landing.

"Garp?" Nami exclaimed. "You're kidding!"

Franky shook his head, "He's been going after Marco since he became an Emperor."

Luffy laughed, deflecting the next shot, sending it back towards the marine ship. He got a clear view of his grandfather, who hadn't changed since the last time Luffy saw him. "Hi Gramps!" Luffy shouted.

The marine ship drew alongside the Thousand Sunny, marines throwing grappling hooks to secure the ships together. Luffy had relaxed, not looking to fight anymore. Zoro also relaxed, despite the marines flocking onto their ship. Garp followed the marines, his arms crossed and a scowl fixed on his face. He stopped in front of Luffy, who stood up straighter. Suddenly, Garp punched Luffy in the face, sending the younger male into the mast.

"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed, pointing the end of her Clima-tact at Garp, the end of it sparking.

Luffy emerged from the dust cloud, coughing. "No fair," He complained.

"No fair?!" Garp boomed, grabbing Luffy's collar and lifting him up. "Where the hell were you! You didn't call, you didn't write! I thought you really were dead!"

"I would have if I could!" Luffy shouted back, kicking his feet. "I'm serious."

Nami jumped up, slamming her weapon into Garp's back. "Let him go!"

Garp looked down at the orange haired woman, but released his grandson, who fell to the grassy deck with an "Oof."

"Are you alright?" Nami asked, pointing her weapon.

Luffy stood up, "I'm fine."

Garp glared at Luffy, "I thought you were dead."

Luffy winced, "I know."

"Why didn't you tell me you were okay?" Garp demanded.

"I couldn't." Luffy said. "We weren't here." Garp sighed, stepping forward and grabbing Luffy again. "Hey!" But Garp didn't hit him, instead embracing him, trapping Luffy's arms at his side. Luffy struggled for a few seconds, but when he heard Zoro sheath his swords he stopped.

Garp was crying. Luffy felt the silent sobs shake the old man's body. "I'm sorry," Luffy said quietly, and Garp only tightened his grip.

Nami smiled, nodding at Kuina who had sheathed her sword when her father did. She opened the door, leaning in. A second later, the second generation Straw-hats emerged. Bellemere ran towards Nami, "Is Daddy okay?"

Garp paused, looking down at the little girl. He released Luffy, who stumbled as he hit the grass. "Is that your daughter?"

Luffy smiled, holding out a hand. "C'mere Bellemere. This is my grandfather."

"Grandpa?" Bellemere repeated.

Garp knelt down, "Hello there."

Bellemere blushed, hiding behind Luffy. "It's alright, he's good."

"Are you…" Luffy gently pushed Bellemere forward, sending her closer to the large, old man. "Are you Daddy's grandpa?"

"I am. Aren't you adorable," Garp held out a hand, and Bellemere placed her hand in his before smiling and hugging him.

"Can I call you Grandpa?" She asked.

Garp laughed, "Of course." He stood, Bellemere in his arms. He looked around at the marines gathered on the Thousand Sunny. "What are you standing around here for? Get back to the ship!"

The marines started scrambling away, as Garp turned to Luffy. "Where were you, Luffy?"

Luffy sighed, "Far away. In another world, actually. In a place called New York."

The name caught Garp's attention, remembering the boy on Marco's ship. He said he was from New York, didn't he? No, he said he was born in New York. "So the rumors are true," He muttered to himself quietly. Then louder, he said "I've seen Marco recently," Garp said. "And there was a boy with him, who looked like you. Is…"

"You saw Milo?" Nami asked.

"Yes, that was his name. Is he…?"

"He's our son," Luffy said, glancing at Nami.

Garp laughed, "Well then, I guess that wanted poster should do it."

"Wanted poster?" Luffy asked.

"Of course. That boy attacked an officer." Garp jumped slightly when Nami shrieked.

"Milo's got a wanted poster!" She shouted.

Luffy started laughing. "That's great! Monkey D. Milo! How much is it?"

"20 million," Garp said. "Kid's got potential. He looks like a good boy."

"He is a good boy," Nami said, "He's a bit reluctant, but he can do a lot if he wants to. He's a lot like Luffy, actually."

Garp laughed, handing Bellemere back to Nami. "Well then, I understand how hard it was to raise a child like Luffy."

Nami smiled, placing Bellemere on the deck. "It's good to see you again, Garp. We missed you."

Garp's smile softened, examining the four children on the ship. "Is this the future of the Straw-hats?"

"Hopefully," Zoro said, his first input in the conversation.

"GARP!" someone on his ship shouted. "There's someone on line 4! It's urgent!"

Garp sighed, "I have to get going. But you have to keep in contact this time. If you don't…" Garp paused, thinking of a threat. "I'll get back to you on that."

Bellemere giggled, "I like you."

"That makes me happy," Garp said, leaning down in front of her. Bellemere leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you again, okay? Remind your daddy if he forgets."

Bellemere saluted. "Roger!"

"GARP!" The marine shouted again. Garp turned, jumping back to his own ship. The marines disconnected the ship, a wave pushing them apart.

* * *

Garp slammed the receiver down, groaning in annoyance. "Nothing important again."

"He was telling you to keep a lookout for the Pirate King," A marine said. "But I guess that doesn't matter to you."

"Ha!" Garp snorted, "Well, considering we just sighted them… So do you think we should report that?"

"It's your choice, sir," The marine saluted.

Garp nodded, changing the topic. "Have you finished the wanted poster yet? The new Whitebeard Pirate."

"The copies still have to be printed."

"Change the name on the poster. Call him Milo the Prince."

The marine saluted again. "Yes sir."


	16. Chapter 16

**How many people actually want Milo to get a Devil Fruit power? Review with your answer and I'll go with the most votes. And I welcome anyone's ideas! Except Zoan types.**

* * *

"You fixed it!" Milo shouted, jumping up and grabbing his phone from Taylor as he climbed up the ship. "I could kiss you!"

"I'll just take your thanks," Taylor replied. Milo wasn't planning on kissing him either. He had sat down and turned on the device. "It was just water damage. What are you doing?"

"Checking the news," Milo replied. "It's been more than two months. And I'm curious. I mean, a ship appeared out of nowhere, right? What are the news people saying?"

"They're reporting what they can…" Taylor said, glancing up when he heard footsteps. Marco was approaching. "They really want to talk to you guys."

"I want to get out of here," Marco said. "Not talk to people."

Milo tapped his phone, bringing up the fox news website and selecting a video file. It began loading and Marco crouched down beside Milo, watching over his shoulder. "You should at least let Milo speak with them," Taylor said to Marco. "Assure the families of the missing people of something."

"No," Marco said sternly, "I don't like the situation we're in, and if I had a choice, we'd be out at sea."

"But I convinced him to stay, because you guys are going to detect another portal, right?" Milo looked up.

"Detecting a shift," Taylor corrected. "And we're trying."

"Shh," Milo said suddenly, the video starting to play.

_"In an unexpected turn of events, another phenomenon occurred. Opposite of the high school incident though, an object appeared. A large ship appeared in the bay, containing civilians _(Marco snorted) _and was brought to the harbor. We have yet to speak with anyone on board, and do not yet know–"_

The video cut off, and Milo sighed. "Damn, terrible connection."

"Well, whatever that was, we know they don't know much," Marco said.

"And you have to realize," Taylor told Marco, "That the unknown makes people scared. You might want to be careful with what you do."

"We can defend ourselves," Marco said seriously, clenching his fist. Taylor could have sworn he saw a flash of blue. He walked away.

"I'm still curious, Milo, as to how you got aboard this kind of ship. I took a look at the missing people list, and your name is on it. Your parents and sister are over there too?"

Milo nodded, "Bellemere took to it right away, and Mom and Dad are from that world. Dad said he and Mom were born in a place called East Blue."

"Bellemere? I'm guessing that's your sister." Taylor said, "And your parents. Lu-"

Milo shook his head. "Don't say their names."

Taylor raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. "Alright… Now, I've got to go. If you need anything…"

Milo nodded, "See ya," And turned back to his phone.

* * *

Later that evening, Marco approached Milo while everyone was eating. "Come to my room after, I want your explanation."

Milo swallowed the food in his mouth, a difficult task with the sudden dryness in his throat. "Okay,"

Jozu looked sympathetic, "I feel for ya, kid. Marco's angry."

"I'm worried about what he'll say when he finds out who I am." Milo muttered, dropping his fork into his food, suddenly not hungry.

"Are you planning to stay here?" Jozu asked, eyeing Milo's plate.

"No, I want to go back," Milo responded, pushing his plate across the table.

"Well then there will be no problems. Marco likes you. He isn't going to do anything bad." Jozu happily accepted Milo's plate.

Milo pushed himself up, "Well, let's get this over with."

"Good luck!" Jozu called through a mouthful of food.

* * *

Milo knocked on Marco's door, his stomach twisting. Marco opened the door a minute later, allowing Milo so walk in. "Sit down," Marco said, gesturing around.

Milo sat on the edge of the bed and Marco dragged the chair over, sitting on it backwards. "Who are you, Milo?" Marco asked.

"I'm me," Milo said, smiling softly. "I was born in New York City. Not far from here, in fact. I lived with my parents and sister. One day, just over two months ago, someone was making fun of a friend so I hit him. I got caught, and the principal of the school called my parents for a meeting. We went, and the school vanished, appearing on a beach."

Marco blinked at the explanation. "You said your parents were born in our world. Who are they?"

Milo had been waiting for that question. He brought out his phone, searching for his pictures. "My sister's name is Bellemere." Milo found the picture he wanted. "And they're my parents," He turned the phone around, allowing Marco to view the picture.

Marco stared at the picture for a few long seconds. Then he took the phone from Milo, looking at it closer. "Wha…"

Milo flicked his finger across the screen, moving to the next picture. "My full name is Milo Monkey, although the names are reversed in your world, so it would be Monkey Milo."

Marco shook his head. "It would be Monkey D. Milo… since your father is… Monkey D… Luffy." Marco copied Milo's movement, dragging his finger across the screen and changing the picture. "You mean… they were here the entire time? I thought… everyone thought they were dead."

"When we arrived in your world, Dad met someone named Zoro, and it turned out he was his best friend."

Marco nodded, "Pirate Hunter Zoro, the Pirate King's first mate. You're the Pirate King's son."

Milo snorted, "And I didn't know."

"Luffy's alive…"

"I should hope so," Milo said.

Marco continued browsing through Milo's photos, many of them of containing Luffy and Nami. He was silent for a while, Milo staying seated and waiting for Marco to speak again. Finally, Marco stopped and handed the phone back. Milo glanced at the photo, a picture of Malcolm holding Andy in a headlock, and then turned his phone off. "I never would have thought…" Marco said. "You look like him, but I thought he was dead." Marco laughed, "And they're back in our world?"

Milo nodded, "You can ask the scientist, I think his name is Taylor. He has the list of people who disappeared with the school."

Marco laughed again, "Well, I think this calls for a party."

"Your parties will scare the people on the docks," Milo muttered, but allowed himself to be dragged out of the room and back into the galley.

Marco burst through the doors, startling most of the people in there. "Bust out the sake!"

A collective cheer came from the crowd, and they wasted no time in pulling out the barrels they had bought from the Drum Kingdom. "What's it for?" Namur asked. "Milo agree to join?"

"Still working on that," Marco said. "But we have something to look forward to when we get back."

"And what's that?" Namur glanced at Milo curiously, the boy looking away.

"We're going to meet up with Luffy."

Complete silence fell over the group; Marco's words seemed to echo throughout the room. Milo turned red. "What was that?"

Marco slapped Milo's back, causing the teenager to stumble forward slightly. "This boy hasn't introduced himself properly. His name is Monkey D. Milo."

* * *

Merry and Brandon ran along the beach with several other children, Betty sitting on a rock a ways up the beach. Brandon pointed a stick at another boy, "I, the mighty pirate, will take you down and steal your treasure!"

"Nu-uh!" The other boy shouted, brandishing his own stick. "I'm gonna beat you up!"

The two boys started fighting, their sticks colliding. The rest of the kids cheered them on, until Betty came over and stopped their fight. "Brandon, you know better than to act like a pirate. They're bad people."

"No way!" Brandon shouted back, "Daddy and Sanji are pirates!"

"Sanji isn't a pirate," Betty said sternly. "He was pretending to be one to scare Anion."

Brandon stuck out his tongue. "Daddy was a pirate, and he beat up people and went on adventures!" Brandon ran down the beach, waving his stick and shouting incoherently.

Betty sighed, grabbing hold of Merry's hand as she started to follow her brother. By now, Brandon had reached the end of the beach and had stopped, staring wide eyed at something Betty couldn't see yet. "Brandon!" Betty called, "Come back. It's almost time to go home!"

"It's a ship!" Brandon called back, "I see a ship!"

"Come back here now!" Betty shouted, as the ship came around the side of the island. "Brandon!" She shouted again, this time desperate. The ship was flying a skull and crossbones. "Right now!"

Brandon listened this time, turning back and running towards the group. As he began running, several people emerged from the trees. They looked rough, all four of them carrying weapons. And they emerged in front of Brandon, making the eight year old freeze.

It was then Betty noticed the small boat resting on the sand a ways up the beach. Really close to where Brandon was standing.

"Lookie here," One of them said, leaning down in front of Brandon. "So there is people here."

Brandon trembled where he stood, leaning back when the pirate leaned forward. Suddenly, he was moving, attempting to escape by running through a pirate's legs. The pirate caught the boy though, lifting him up by the collar of his shirt. "Let me go!" Brandon shouted, his arms and legs flailing.

"Ya think he's worth somethin'?"

"I dunno,"

"My Daddy will beat you up! He's a strong pirate!"

The men laughed, and then spotted Betty and the cowering children. "Who's dat?"

"More of them peoples," Another answered. "Oi! You! This kid here challenged his papa against us. I could do wit' a fight. Get 'im."

Betty could only nod as the pirates started stalking towards the boat. As they walked, Merry pressed herself against Betty. They didn't do anything though; completely silent except for Brandon's struggling. As soon as they were far enough away, Betty headed towards the docks, where Usopp would be. It would also be the place the pirates would dock, as the cliffs wouldn't allow them access to the island.

"USOPP!" Betty shouted, and he appeared a moment later, wiping grease off of his face.

"Betty. What's wrong?"

"Pirates!" Betty panted, "They took Brandon. Brandon said you could fight them, and now they want to fight you!"

Usopp's face darkened, "What?"

"Them!" Betty pointed out at the water, where a ship was approaching. "It was them!"

Usopp looked over to the large ship, and when he focused his goggles and peered through them, he could see Brandon on the pirate ship. He also saw what looked like the captain. Green hair, three swords… It was someone pretending to be Zoro! "Brandon looks okay," Usopp said. "Get the kids out of here. Merry, go find Sanji. He should be at the restaurant. Tell him to come here, alright?"

Merry nodded, wiping tears away and sprinting up the road. "What are you going to do?" Betty asked.

"That man has my son," Usopp replied. "I'm going to fight him."

Betty watched as Usopp stalked towards his bag and started fishing around in it. After a minute, he had produced several green sticks, which he started fitting together. The end result was a large slingshot, five straps holding a small bag in place. "This is the Kabuto," Usopp said when Betty stared at it. He pulled out something else, glinting gold before Usopp hid it in a pocket.

Usopp turned, watching the ship as it came closer. The news that the pirates had Brandon spread through the socks quickly. Anion approached, looking unusually serious. "If you need help fighting…"

"It's okay, Anion," Usopp said, brandishing his slingshot. "They're not going to know what they're up against."

Anion looked like he was going to laugh, but stopped himself.

The ship had docked, the workers staying away from it. The person imitating Zoro descended, Brandon slung over his shoulder. Usopp stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "Who do you think you are, Zoro, taking my kid."

The fake Zoro laughed, dropping Brandon, who scrambled towards his father and hiding behind him. "Go to Granny," Usopp said. Brandon complied.

"So you know who I am," Fake Zoro laughed. "That's good. Now, I'll give you a choice. You can fight me, and die. Or you can apologize and fix my ship."

"We'll fix it," Drey said, nodding frantically. Usopp held out his arm.

"Come on, Zoro," Usopp said, sounding annoyed. "I know it's been a while since I've seen you, but you've really changed." Usopp grinned inwardly, glad he hadn't lost his ability to act.

Fake Zoro stopped, surprised at the comment. "I don't know you."

"Ha ha, very funny. It's been over sixteen years. I see you've started your own crew. Why didn't you contact the rest of us?"

"You...?"

"It's me, Zoro. You can't have forgotten. Geeze, you really have changed. Where's Kuina?"

"Who?"

By now, both the dock workers and the Fake Zoro's crew were staring at the two people. Anion was biting his lip. Drey looked terrified. "You can't have forgotten your own daughter, Zoro. I was there when you told us."

"I don't have a kid," Fake Zoro snapped, and Usopp swallowed at the tone. "Who the hell are you?!"

Usopp sighed, "Well, I had hoped to bluff my way through this, but I guess I can't. Now," Usopp glared back at Fake Zoro. "I should be asking you that question. Who the hell are _you_?"

Fake Zoro drew one of his swords, "I am the first mate of the Pirate King's crew. If you don't wish to die, I suggest you back off."

"Back off my ass," Usopp snapped. "We've had enough people imitate us, and it's beginning to piss me off. If you want to start a pirate crew, that's fine. But when you pretend to be one of my friends, that isn't so fine."

"Usopp," Gerry said quietly, "Do as he says. Back off."

"No. I'm not a coward anymore. You," He pointed at Fake Zoro, "Are pretending to be my friend. I'm not going to stand for it."

"I am the Pirate Hunter Zoro," Fake Zoro declared.

"You're a fake," Usopp said in the same tone. He held up his weapon, the strings pulled taunt and ready to release an attack. "I know Zoro. I sailed aboard the Thousand Sunny with Zoro. I stood beside Zoro as we watched Luffy and Nami vanish. I helped Zoro when he showed up on my doorstep with a newborn baby. You don't know who Kuina is. You're not my friend. You're an imposter. I was a part of Luffy's crew. You weren't."

Fake Zoro laughed, "I would have remembered someone like you if you were aboard the ship."

"Really?" Usopp said, "Because I don't have a bounty on my head. My guess is you're using the wanted posters to avoid the real members of the Straw-hats." He released the tension on the strings, letting the bag swing loosely. "Luffy's sharpshooter's bounty is on Sogeking." Usopp pulled out the mask he had hidden in his pocket, holding it in one hand tauntingly. "And I just so happen to _be _Sogeking."

He placed the mask on his face, readying his weapon again before firing. Gasps went up from both sides, and Sanji, who had just arrived, grinned. "So, you finally reveal yourself."

Usopp looked over, ignoring the angry shouts of the pirates who had been picked up by vines and thrown around. "Well, Zoro isn't this guy. And he pissed me off."

"I know, Merry told me." Sanji stepped forward, the Fake Zoro cutting himself loose and dropping to the ground. "This guy ain't the moss head."

"What did you just call me?!" Fake Zoro demanded. "Who do you think you are?!"

"I'm a member of the Monster Trio," Sanji said, raising his foot. "Black Leg Sanji."

"No you're not!" Fake Zoro shouted, drawing another sword and pointing one at each person.

Sanji glanced at Usopp, "Do you want to?"

"Gladly," Usopp grinned, firing off three shots. One hit Fake Zoro's head. Another hit his stomach. A third hit his groin. Fake Zoro groaned in pain, falling to his knees and clutching at the places of impact.

"Captain!" Someone from the ship shouted.

"I wonder if your crew knows you're a fake," Sanji mused, walking over and crouching beside the downed imposter.

"I'm not…" The Fake Zoro wheezed, "A fake."

Sanji shook his head, "You might want to come get your captain!" He called to the pirates on the boat. "And I suggest you leave. You've managed to anger Sogeking, and that puts you in a very bad position."

No one moved, so Sanji hefted the Fake Zoro and tossed him over the railing of the ship. Usopp took off his mask, glowering at the crew. Many of them took the advice and began to start sailing. The captain tried to protest, but he was ignored. Sanji grinned. The crew obviously hadn't known their captain was a fake.

Merry ran up to her father, hugging him around the waist. "You beat that bad guy!" She cheered, and Brandon crashed into him from behind.

Usopp knelt down, a child in each arm. "Are you alright, Brandon?"

The dark haired boy nodded against Usopp's shoulder. "That's good. You were brave."

Drey approached, standing next to Sanji. "You really weren't kidding."

Sanji laughed, "Who in their right mind would lie about that? You just saw what happened to imposters."

Drey shuddered, "I'm curious. Why don't you have a bounty?"

Usopp stood, lifting Brandon and Merry in his arms. "Long story."

Merry giggled, "Daddy and Luffy fought and Daddy left, but then he wanted to help, and used a mask!"

"That's basically it," Usopp said. Sanji nodded in agreement.

"You and the Pirate King fought?" Gerry exclaimed.

"He wasn't Pirate King yet," Usopp defended. "And it was a big deal!"

Anion shook his head, watching the Fake Zoro's ship sail away. "I thought we had this dealt with already," Sanji said. "We're pirates. Done. That's it. Haven't you accepted it yet?"

Usopp looked down at his kids. "Well, I really don't care what they think. I'm taking them home."

Gert, who had been standing at the front of the crowd, nodded in understanding. "Yes, you should let Brandon rest."

Usopp left the docks, leaving Sanji to talk to Anion. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"No."

Sanji shook his head, leaving the docks and heading back up to the restaurant. Since he was staying at Kaya's house, Kaya had ordered him to get a job. It was good enough, but the place was small. He was tempted to head back to the Baratie, and wait for more news on the Thousand Sunny and Luffy's supposed return. He still didn't completely believe it, and that imposter just solidified his suspicions.

Sanji dropped his cigarette in the dirt, grinding his heel into the embers to extinguish them.


	17. Chapter 17

The party lasted most of the night, and everyone slept in late the next morning. Even Marco, who was typically an early riser, was in bed until noon. Milo had left the celebration early, and the result was he was the only one awake that morning. He turned on his phone, texting Malcolm to say he was alright. He didn't expect a reply.

"What happened?" Webster asked, looking up as Milo leaned over the railing. "There was a lot of noise last night."

"They had a party," Milo said.

"That was a party?"

Milo laughed, nodding. "I'm coming down, is that alright?" Webster nodded, and Milo climbed down the ladder. He wobbled slightly as his feet hit the solid dock. "It's been a while since I've been on shore," Milo explained, as Webster steadied him.

"Your friends are quite rambunctious." Webster commented. "You've been with them for two months, correct?"

"Something like that," Milo said. "Marco's a friend of Dad's, and they were happy when they figured out he was alive."

"I saw the list. Your father's name is Luffy, right? And Nami's your mother." Webster glanced at the younger curiously. "You said several times your–"

"My parents were born there. Not here. Yeah. Dad's the Pirate King. In the other world. I really can't explain anything else. I don't know much." Milo waved his hand, sounding annoyed.

Webster sighed, "Sorry. It's just… we never expected to have one of the high school victims come back."

"I didn't expect to come back either. I want to go back with them, though."

Webster nodded, but didn't say anything. The kid was strange, but Webster wasn't going to point that out. This kid had many extremely strong people to back him up.

What happened next was sudden, and it startled Webster. A rock came flying from the direction of shore, aimed for the back of Milo's head. The teenager seemed to know it was there, yanking a small pole from his coat and swinging it. He hit the rock, sending it back towards the thrower. A couple young men, probably college students, cursed and started scrambling away.

"Get them!" Webster shouted to several officers lingering around, pointing at the fleeing people. The officers darted after them. He turned to Milo, to ask him _what the hell he just did. _But Milo looked as confused as Webster felt. He stared at the silver pole in his hands as if it were a bomb. "Are you alright?"

"Did you see that?!" Milo exclaimed, staring at the pole. "I hit that rock, like a baseball. It was really easy. It shouldn't have been that easy…"

"Sit down," Webster ordered. "Take a deep breath."

Milo complied, taking a seat. He kept staring at the pole. Webster examined it as well. It was small, the length of Milo's forearm, and looked like it was made of pure silver. There was a small impression in the middle, but Webster couldn't imagine its purpose.

"Hey, Webster?" Webster looked up, two officers standing, holding two young men in handcuffs. "We got 'em."

Webster stood up, "Good. You two, do you know the situation right now?" Both boys looked away. Webster continued. "We have very strong people from another world on that ship."

"So," One of them grumbled. "It's not like we attacked them."

Webster pointed at Milo. "You threw a rock at him. I don't know if you realize this, but that boy's part of that crew."

"Travelling with that crew," Milo corrected, standing. He still held his pole in his hand. "I'm not an actual member yet."

"You don't look like a pirate," The second one said. "Thought you were the kid of one of them," He jerked his head as the lingering people.

"I'm still getting used to the lifestyle," Milo said. "It's okay, Webster. I really don't mind. Just don't mention this to Marco, and everything will be fine."

"Mention what to Marco?" Namur's voice called down. Everyone glanced up, the two college student's staring bug eyed and open mouthed at the fish man. "The fact you were attacked?"

"Please don't tell him," Milo said, grimacing. "He's scary when he lights himself on fire."

Namur laughed, "I saw the whole thing. You, my boy, might have Haki. Your father is quite skilled with it, so I would imagine you have a strong sense of it as well."

"Ha-what?"

Namur shook his head, "I'll explain later." He turned his gaze towards the two boys. "You have a lot of nerve attacking Milo."

"Namur, you guys just found out. I doubt the people of this _other world_ will know."

"I suppose you're right," Namur sighed.

Webster sighed, "I'm sorry about this, Milo. Really."

Milo turned back to Webster, "I said it's fine, Webster. I'm serious. I don't care."

Webster nodded at the officers, who unlocked the handcuffs. Both boys looked unsure of what to do, and kept glancing up at Namur. "What the hell is that?" One of them whispered.

"That's Namur," Milo, who had heard, answered. "He's a fish man."

"Your world is weird." The second one said.

Milo shrugged, "You get used to it."

"Come on," Webster placed a firm hand on each of their shoulders. "You aren't allowed to be here. I'm going to escort you off the docks."

Milo waved as Webster led them away and then boarded the ship again, joining Namur. He watched the two young men leave the docks, running off as soon as Webster released them. They were alone for another hour, and then Marco stumbled out of his room, squinting against the sunlight.

"Are you hung-over?" Milo laughed.

"Shut up," Marco shot back, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. Namur hid a smile as well, and over the course of the afternoon the rest of the crew had stumbled out.

The thought didn't occur to Milo until the next day. He quickly spoke with Marco to get his approval and then climbing down to find Webster. Webster was the Police Chief, so he might be able to pull some strings. "Hey, Police dude!"

Webster looked up at Milo, dismissing the officers he had been talking to. "You're lucky I'm required to be here, Milo. I don't think many others would respond to that name."

"Sorry, I have a question."

"Oh?"

"Would it be possible to bring me to my house?" Milo asked, "I mean, there's stuff I could use, and Mom would never forgive me if I don't bring back something if I was here. Please?"

"That's an unusual request," Webster said. "But I suppose I could."

"YES! Thanks," Milo cheered, waving up at the ship. Webster saw Marco, who was standing at the railing, give a nod.

Webster had to sneak Milo around the usual crowd of reporters and bystanders. It wasn't a very difficult task once Webster sent one of the scientists to speak with them about their latest findings. Everyone crowded around the poor scientist, and the two of them were able to slip past without any troubles.

The police chief used his own car, not wanting to draw any more unwanted attention. He had to remind Milo to put on his seatbelt before starting the car, following the directions Milo was giving him. He maneuvered through the downtown traffic, and then onto the less busy streets of a residential area.

"Turn left here," Milo directed, pointing. "It's number 4."

Webster pulled into the driveway and examined the house. It looked ordinary, with grey brickwork, a white door, and a garden. Milo fumbled with his seatbelt, jumping out of the car and headed towards the garden.

Webster stepped out as well, watching Milo as he lifted a rock and produced a key. "What do you plan to get?" He asked.

"I don't know." Milo unlocked the front door, "Sentimental stuff, I guess. It's nice to be home."

Webster followed the boy into the house and flicked a light switch. Nothing happened. "The electrical company probably cut your power when you stopped paying."

"Damn… Don't open the fridge then."

Webster nodded, opening a curtain to let in more light. Milo had vanished up the stairs, so Webster took a seat on one of the kitchen chairs and waited for the boy to return.

Milo reappeared a while later with an armful of stuff and dumped it on the table before dashing off again, this time into an adjacent room. Curiously, Webster eyed the pile the boy had left. He picked up a book. A photo album?

"That's Mom and Dad's wedding," Milo said, reappearing in the doorway. "And a lot of my and Bellemere's baby pictures. Mom went on a rampage when she realized she didn't have them."

"You have good parents, if they care about that." Webster commented.

Milo smiled, "If you get past the fact they were keeping a lot of secrets, they're great. But I'm slowly figuring out those secrets."

"You're one brave kid, travelling with pirates." Webster shook his head.

"They're not like the pirates in the movies," Milo said. "And I swear, I've seen every one of them." He gestured toward the living room, "Dad has a collection. I'd bring them, but there aren't any T.V's." He grabbed a backpack that was sitting on the floor. He turned the bag upside down, emptying the contents onto the kitchen counter and brought the now empty bag over to the table and started loading the contents of the pile into it. Lots of books, Webster noted, as Milo fit everything in.

Once the bag was full, Milo slung it over his shoulder, wincing at the weight. "I'm good."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?" Webster asked.

Milo started to shrug, but was interrupted when Webster's radio buzzed. "Webster here, over," He spoke into the radio.

"We've got a… situation over here at the docks, over," A nervous voice came through the radio.

Milo froze. Webster frowned. "Report, over."

"The light came back. The scientists say they're detecting a massive change in the unknown energy." The officer o on the other end said. "Over."

"Anything else? Over." Webster asked, hoping for more information. Milo was staring at him.

"Something's coming through!" The shout was full of static, but both listeners understood.

"I'll be back in five minutes," Webster said, abandoning formalities. He gestured for Milo to get moving. The boy was out of the house as Webster stood. He didn't other locking the door as he climbed into the car, Webster only seconds behind him.

It took them ten minutes to reach the harbor, Milo fidgeting in the passenger's seat.

Webster blinked at the huge ship sitting in the middle of the bay. The word Marine was printed across the sails. Milo started pushing through the crowd, ignoring the protests and the guards at the beginning of the docks. He jumped past, sprinting towards the ship. A couple guards pursued him until he reached the ship, shouting up to Jozu and tossing his bag up. He scrambled up the ladder and was met with confusion.

Marco was standing in the crow's nest, glaring at the ship sitting calmly in the water. "Damn it!" He heard Marco's shout, and took his bag back from Jozu, heading down to his room and dropping his bag in his hammock.

He noticed Izo staring out one of the portholes. "They're not going to let us fight," Milo said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "It would cause too much panic."

"That's not going to stop the marines from attacking us, though." Izo said. "And like Marco said. We will defend ourselves."

Milo took a breath, "Should I warn them to clear the docks?"

"That might be best," Izo nodded, narrowing his eyes as a shout echoed from above.

Milo left, emerging back on deck and confirming it was Marco who was yelling. Taylor and Webster were standing before him, both of their faces red. "I don't give a damn! I want to know how the hell we get back. I'm really not in the mood to fight marines right now." Marco was glaring daggers at the two men in front of him.

"I can't allow casualties," Webster said. "It's my job to keep the city safe."

"Then get us a way back!" Marco almost growled. "I don't care how! We'll fight them over there."

"This doorway is only one way!" Taylor shouted. "It can only be accessed by that point! Damn it, listen to me!"

Marco grabbed Taylor's collar, dragging the man forward until they were face to face. "Find us a damned doorway. Because there will be a fight."

Blue flames licked across Marco's knuckles, and Taylor whimpered. Marco thrust him back as Marco turned away and burst into flames, a bird emerging from the sudden inferno. The bird flew up and perched on the top of the mast.

"You guys are lucky," Milo said, coming over.

"Did… I'm going crazy." Taylor sat down hard, staring up, slack jawed.

"Nope. That's just Marco when he's pissed. Didn't I mention he could turn into a phoenix?"

"No… I don't believe you did…" Taylor managed.

"Well, I did give you a warning, remember? Don't freak out when you see something unusual." Milo recalled. "Namur wasn't the only person I was talking about. Marco can turn into a phoenix and can light himself on fire. Jozu's arm is made of diamonds. Haruta doesn't have a Devil Fruit power, but she could be added to the list of strange things aboard this ship."

Webster made a strangled sound in the back of his throat.

"So don't piss them off. They won't stand for anyone threatening a member of their crew." Milo continued. "I was also asked to warn you. Clear the docks of you don't want anyone getting hurt."

"Do you count as a member of their crew?" Taylor asked.

"Yes. I was also asked to warn you. Clear the docks of you don't want anyone getting hurt." Milo narrowed his eyes at them, daring them to protest. They didn't.

* * *

Chopper dropped the binoculars when he saw the flag. They hit the snow without a sound, and Chopper made no move to pick them up. Dalton noticed the reindeer's distress. "Chopper? Are you alright?"

"That's the Sunny," Chopper said, pointing at the ship.

The ship was too far out for the details to be seen clearly, so Dalton picked up the binoculars Chopper had dropped and peered through them. "Well, the paper did say Straw-hat was back."

"But Luffy's dead!" Chopper exclaimed.

"Maybe it's one of your crewmembers." Dalton commented. "You went to visit the blue haired man and his wife a couple times, right?"

"Franky and Robin," Chopper said. "Maybe…"

"They're probably coming to ask you if you want to join them." Dalton told the reindeer. "See, they're turning this way."

Chopper nodded, "I'll greet them at the cove, then."

Dalton nodded, handing back the binoculars. Chopper hopped off the rock he was standing on and made his way over to the cove. The same one Marco and the Whitebeard Pirates had landed less than a week ago.

Chopper waited as the ship got closer, eventually sailing into the cove. Chopper saw Franky's blue hair and smiled, waving. "HEY! FRANKY!"

Franky ran to the railing, "SUPER REINDEER DOCTOR BRO!" He shouted back, jumping off and landing hard in the snow. He grabbed Chopper, squeezing him until Chopper shouted for him to let go. Franky placed him on his feet. "You're not going to believe who's back!"

"Did Zoro decide to start up?" Chopper asked excitedly. "Cause if you did, I'm going with you!"

"Well, Zoro was there when me and Robin joined up again." Franky said.

"Speaking of you two," Chopper said, suddenly serious. "How are your kids? I haven't seen your youngest since he was born, and Tom was only one when I saw him last."

"They're _SUPER!" _Franky said, "But that's not what I meant. It's Luffy and Nami! They're alive!"

Chopper didn't respond, his mouth gaping. "What?!"

As if on cue, Luffy jumped down and scooped up the startled zoan user in another crushing embrace. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Chopper didn't struggle. Instead, he stared over his dead captain's shoulder at the two women who were climbing down from the ship. A dark haired woman, Robin, hit the ground first, stepping out of the way so an orange haired woman could stand as well. His eyes locked on the navigator, also supposed to be dead, and he let out a strangled whimper.

"You guys…" Chopper sniffed, pulling an arm free and wiping his eyes. "You… HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!"

He felt Luffy laugh, and then he was back on his feet, staring up at the captain. "I know. We'll explain everything."

Chopper wiped away the tears and mucus that was running down his face, sniffing again. "Come to the village with me. We can talk there."

Nami smiled, nodding enthusiastically. Franky turned his head upwards, towards the ship. "HEY GUYS! GET YOUR _SUPER _ASSES DOWN HERE!"

Nami wacked Franky on the head, "Watch your language!"

Chopper tried to keep a stern face, but failed at the sight. It was so painfully familiar that he had to laugh. Nami and Robin started laughing as well, Luffy and Franky exchanging puzzled glances. Kuina was the first to appear, leaning over the railing. Tom was the next to appear.

"Hi Chopper!" Kuina waved.

"Hello, Kuina," Chopper returned. Kuina jumped, Tom following, as two more heads poked over the side of the ship. Blake opted to use the ladder, joining his parents on the ground.

"Dad won't wake up," Kuina told the adults. "I wrote him a note."

"Don't even think about it, Bellemere!" Nami called up, as Bellemere started climbing onto the rail. "Use the ladder."

The twelve year old pouted, but brightened when Luffy stretched his arms and grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him. She laughed, huffing when she hit Luffy's chest. "Wait 'till you're a bit older, kay?"

"But they did it!" Bellemere pointed accusingly at Kuina and Tom.

"They're both older than you." Nami pointed out.

Luffy placed Bellemere down, her feet sinking into the snow. She spied Chopper and let out a delighted squeal. "He's cute!"

Chopper yelped and darted behind Franky to hide.

"Leave him alone, Bella," Nami said. "He's our friend. Not a stuffed toy."

The order was unneeded though, as Bellemere was having trouble walking through the snow. "It's cold!" She shouted, as snow entered her boot.

"How 'bout I carry you?" Luffy asked, kneeling down in front of her, allowing her to climb onto his back. "Alright, Chopper. Lead the way."

* * *

"Wow…" Chopper breathed, as he listened to Nami and Luffy explain what happened sixteen years ago and where they were. "So you're going to stay here?"

"That's the plan," Nami said, nodding. "We've got to meet up with Marco, though, as soon as possible. Milo, our son, is with him, and we'd like to know how he's doing."

"I've met Milo!" Chopper said. "Marco stopped by a little while ago."

Luffy laughed, "So how was he doing?"

"He was brave," Chopper shuddered. "He hit Haruta with a snowball."

Nami paled at his words, "I hope Marco kept an eye on him. That woman can be a little… insane… at times."

The door opened suddenly, Zoro standing in the doorway. "Where's Kuina?" He asked angrily. Luffy started laughing at the sight of the swordsman.

"She did say she left a note…" Nami commented, holding her hand over her mouth to hide a snigger. Kuina had written where they were on Zoro's forehead, in what looked like permanent marker. "I don't know where she is."

Zoro stormed out of the hut, muttering something about whipped cream, art supplies, and fire. Chopper stared after the man, and took a sip of his tea. "I feel sorry for him. Kuina's quite wild. And what's he got against whipped cream?"

"You should ask Bellemere later," Nami said, gesturing to her daughter, who was sitting in front of the fireplace. Kuina poked her head out from behind the couch.

"Thanks for the save."

"Don't be thanking me yet. Zoro will always get his revenge," Nami warned. "You had better hide the markers."

Kuina laughed, ducking as Zoro passed a window. "I'll keep that in mind."

They all heard Zoro curse loudly, and when they looked out the window, they saw Tom and Blake running from him as fast as they could. The back of Zoro's head was white. "You know, I don't know what will cause the most pain. Hitting Haruta with a snowball or hitting Zoro with a snowball."

"Well, when we find Milo, they can compare notes."


	18. Chapter 18

The entire ship was tense as a small boat, the same one that had been sent to greet the Whitebeard Pirates, traveled towards the marine warship. Many pirates stood with their weapons ready to attack. Swords half drawn, rifles cocked and ready to shoot, fists clenched. As soon as Webster and Taylor had vacated the ship, Marco had ordered everyone to stand by for an attack.

Personally, Milo doubted the marines would attack, they probably having the same reaction as Marco and his crew. Seeing the pirates would probably be a relief, knowing they weren't the only ones that were here. He stood at the stern, watching the progress of the marine ship. He watched the motorboat detach from the side and start heading to shore, the marine ship starting to move a few minutes later.

"They're coming," He told a nearby crew member, who ran to inform Marco.

He came a few minutes later, standing beside Milo. Milo had his pole extended, but loosely gripped in his left hand. "Are you alright?" Marco asked.

"I'm fine," Milo said. "Are _you _alright?"

"No," Marco shook his head. "I don't like sitting here and doing nothing."

"Is that a common trait for pirates? 'Cause Mom and Dad were really impatient all the time too."

"I suppose it is," Marco said.

The motorboat arrived at the docks, and Webster quickly made his way over to the pirate ship. He stopped, looking for the ladder, but Marco had pulled it up. "Hey! They promised not to fight if you don't!"

Marco looked down, "I don't believe them."

"You said you wouldn't strike first!" Webster called back, desperate to keep the two forces from fighting on the docks.

"So make sure they keep to themselves," Marco warned, before backing up from the railing and out of Webster's sight.

"Milo!" Webster tried. "You're not a part of this! Come down and we'll keep trying to get a door open for the high school victims!"

"If Dad can fight sea monsters, then I can fight marines," Milo said, copying Marco and leaving Webster's sight. He heard him curse.

The marine warship arrived at the docks, its cannons not aiming at the pirates and no one on deck was preparing to fight. Many of the officers were staring at the ship suspiciously, but not acting. Milo's grip on his pole tightened slightly as he made eye contact with one of the marines on the other ship, and turned away. But then he turned back, recognizing one of the people aboard.

"Marco!" Milo darted away from the railing. Marco appeared in front of him, having jumped from the crow's nest. "I recognize one of the people on the other ship. He's a Vice Admiral."

"How would you know he's a Vice Admiral?"

"His name's Gaddy, or something like that." Milo explained. "He was at Sabaody Archipelago when I was there."

"Does he know who you are?"

"No idea. Probably not. I only saw him once, and I don't think he knows me and Dad were related. I wasn't with him when he knocked that guy out."

Marco nodded, turning to observe the enemy ship. "They don't look like they're ready to fight," He said. "But I wouldn't underestimate him. Especially when a Vice Admiral is involved."

"Well," Haruta said, "We're ready to fight if they do plan to attack."

Milo sighed, "Right now, there is an understanding between you and the marines. Both of you have no idea where you are or how to get back. But this understanding is stretched. It will break if either side pisses the other off. It's only a question of who will do it first."

Marco nodded, "That's a very good observation. But I think we will be the ones to strike first."

"You're going to attack?!"

"No," Marco shook his head. "I need you to do something for me."

"Yeah?"

"I need you to inform the crew that we're setting sail as soon as night falls, and heading towards the doorway." Marco said.

Milo nodded, "Alright. But how do you plan to get through?"

He pointed towards the side of the ship. "The scientists are hiding something. We're going to get an answer."

"Kidnapping?"

"We'll leave him in a dory before we pass through, if I'm right."

"Okay then…" Milo said. "I'll… go inform the rest of the crew."

"Here's the plan," Marco leaned in closer to Milo and began speaking. A few minutes later, Milo left and began walking from one group to another, relaying Marco's instructions.

* * *

Night came, but darkness never fell. The bright floodlights illuminated the docks. But the scientists began packing up their equipment and many of the police and coast guard personnel had already left. This meant the pirates had to be quiet. Some of them had severed the ropes holding the ship to the docks, but held on to them to keep the ship from floating away. Namur climbed down the starboard side, opposite the side attached to the docks and quietly slipped into the water.

Milo felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach as he heard Marco stop behind him. "Are you ready?"

"No."

"Are you still going to do it?"

"… Yes…"

"Namur's ready," Haruta whispered.

"Go, Milo,"

Milo shoved his fear aside as much as he could and stepped onto the railing. He didn't want to let Marco down. "HEY! VICE ADMIRAL GADDY!"

The effect was perfect. Everyone on the docks and on the marine ship turned to them. The one camera crew that was still there swiveled towards him as well. This allowed Namur to reach out of the water and grab the nearest scientist, pulling him into the water unnoticed. "He's got Taylor," Marco whispered. "Keep going."

"IT"S GADDING!" Gadding shouted back. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, INSULTING A MARINE? ARE YOU TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT?"

Milo scoffed loudly, keeping up his act. "YOU? FIGHT ME? PLEASE, YOU COULDN'T TAKE ME!" HE was outright lying right now, but until Namur was back on the ship, he had to keep everyone's attention.

"WHAT MAKES YOU SO SURE ABOUT THAT?!" Gadding shouted back, angry that his pride was being insulted.

"BECAUSE MY DAD TOOK YOU OUT WITH ONE HIT!" Milo shouted back.

"Did he really?" Haruta asked.

Milo nodded.

"WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE OF THAT, BOY?!" Gadding shouted.

"BACK ON SABAODY ARCHIPELEGO! MY DAD'S THE PIRATE KING." Even from the distance, Milo saw Gadding's face pale. "DIDN'T YOU TELL ANYONE?"

The Whitebeards laughed, and Namur appeared over the starboard railing, hauling a dripping Taylor under his arm. Milo jumped down from the rail as the ropes were released and the ship started drifting away from the docks. A wave caught the hull, sending the ship further out into the water. "SEE YA!" Milo shouted.

"Turn this ship around," Marco ordered. Everyone began scrambling to follow the order, wanting to get back as soon as possible.

"Let me go!" Taylor demanded, struggling in Namur's grip. Marco nodded at Namur, who let the man drop to the ground, landing in a heap. He sat up, glowering at the two pirates standing above him. "This is illegal."

"I don't care," Marco said. "We're pirates. We don't follow the law." Marco grabbed Taylor's arm and dragged him to his feet. "We're heading straight for the doorway. You had better tell us what happens when we hit it."

"I have no obligation to do that," Taylor huffed, catching Milo's gaze.

"No," Marco agreed. "You don't have to tell us. But if you don't, you're going to be staying on this ship until we get an answer."

Taylor's cheeks started turning red, and Milo just sighed. The man's gaze kept darting towards the ocean, and as they got closer he finally cracked. "The worlds are fusing!"

That caught Milo's attention. "What?!"

"Damn it, the worlds are fusing." Taylor repeated, as Marco released him. "We just thought there was a crack in the skin of the world, and hoped it would mend itself and we never had to worry about it again. But when you guys came through, it got bigger!"

"So you lied to us." Namur stated.

"It was for our own safety," Taylor hissed. "You guys are crazy strong and dangerous. And there are so many people like you in your world!"

"So we can get back?" Milo asked.

"Yes," Taylor spat. "You can. But that crack is just going to get bigger and bigger."

"How do you know the worlds are fusing?" Milo demanded.

"Because of the amount of foreign materials." Taylor muttered. "They can be detected all over North and South America. Especially in the Bermuda areas."

Milo crossed his arms. "If we sail the same way through, though, we will emerge in our world?

"I already said yes!" Taylor practically shrieked. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Marco stepped away from the hysterical man. "Prepare a dory, and get him in it. I got the information I wanted."

A couple sailors ran off to prepare the boat, and Milo guided Taylor towards the side. "Calm down, you're not a prisoner. We're letting you go."

"What the hell are you doing with them, kid," Taylor demanded.

"They're helping me."

"You live in this world, you can just stay."

"No." Milo said. "You knew that there were people on the other side, and you were just going to let them stay trapped on the other side. Twenty one people. Most of them kids from the basketball team. I've learned a lot from Marco and the other Whitebeard pirates. I don't like the way you think."

"It was to protect the rest of the population," Taylor insisted.

"So you're willing to sacrifice people?"

"I…" Taylor trailed off, not responding to Milo's question. He stayed silent as he was forced into the small dory.

"Thanks for fixing my phone," Milo said, as two of the crew members began lowering the dory over the side.

"You might not end up the same place you came through," Taylor warned, as his boat hit the water and detached from the Moby Dick II.

"As long as we're back." Marco said, coming over to watch the scientist leave. Taylor didn't respond, grabbing the oars and heading back towards shore instead. "I don't like him."

Milo snorted, "Well, should we hold on?"

Marco glanced towards one of the navigators, "Are we close."

"Yes," She said. "We'll be hitting in two minutes."

"Good," Marco stalked towards the bow and smiled. "Where do you think we'll end up?"

"I don't know," Milo answered. "I had thought we would end up at the island the school ended up at, but… I just hope wherever we land, it helps me find Mom and Dad."

"I don't care where we land, as long as we end up back home," Haruta muttered, walking past.

"We're entering!" Someone called out, and despite the darkness the ship lit up with an unearthly white light. Just like before. The ring formed and descended, faster than last time. Milo grabbed onto the railing as the ship shook slightly, and then suddenly, the light was gone. He blinked, staring around. There was nothing but ocean and darkness around them.

"Do you think…?"

"Well," Haruta started, looking around, "There's no city. That's a start."

"It's still dark out," Marco said, "So we'll wait for morning before we make any decisions. I want double the people on watch tonight."

"Aye, sir,"

Marco turned to Milo, "Go to bed, Milo. You don't need to watch tonight."

Milo nodded, relieved. He was tired, and really didn't want to stay up thinking about what Taylor had said. He left, making his way to his hammock. His backpack was there; he had forgotten about it. Dumping it on the floor, he climbed in and was asleep within minutes.

* * *

He woke the next morning to sunlight streaming in the porthole. Blinking a few times, he rolled out of his hammock, landing on his feet (It had taken him a month to be able to do that), and looked out the window. There was an island.

Milo raced up to the deck, spotting Izo. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing happened last night," Izo informed him. "If you're talking about the island, we spotted it an hour ago."

"Oh," Milo leaned against the railing. "Those cliffs look high," He commented as he watched the island draw closer.

"We're aiming for the docks there," Izo said, pointing. "We're going to land and hopefully get the name of the island. Then we can collect our bearings and set off again. Maybe get some maps while we're there."

Milo nodded, the plan sounding reasonable. Jozu approached them, grinning. "There's someone waving on shore. Milo, can I borrow your spyglass?"

Milo pulled it out of his pocket, "Be careful with it."

"I will," He placed it to his eye and focused it, aiming at the docks. "Well," He said a minute later, "I'll be."

"What is it?" Izo asked, as Jozu handed Milo back the spyglass.

"It's Usopp."

* * *

Chopper waved goodbye as the Thousand Sunny sailed away from the Drum Kingdom. Dalton had been very surprised when Luffy had shown up, following Chopper into the village. Kureha was surprised too, and had come down from the castle to see Chopper off.

Bellemere was giggling madly as she chased the small reindeer around the grass, actually able to run here. "He's cute!" She kept claiming, when her parents told her to stop. Eventually, Chopper gave in and let the twelve year old cuddle with him.

"That's adorable," Nami grinned, camera in hand. "Chopper and Bella." She snapped a picture.

Kuina was nowhere to be found, and Nami had found a box of markers shoved in her closet. Out of courtesy for the young swordswoman, she kept them there. The marker still hadn't come off of Zoro's forehead, despite Chopper rubbing several ointments meant to de-stain skin on the area.

Tom and Blake were also avoiding Zoro, the only reason they had escaped his wrath back in the village was by losing the man in the forest. Bellemere was the only child not in trouble with the green-haired man, and was taking advantage of the fact by strutting around deck, dragging Chopper around with her.

All in all, it was a peaceful day aboard the Pirate King's vessel. The News Coo flew over, dropping a newspaper onto the wood. Nami picked it up, "I didn't order a new subscription," She mused. "I'm not paying for it!" She called up to the bird, which ignored her and flew on.

"What's it got?" Franky asked.

Nami opened the paper, "Marine stuff. Watch out for pirates, protect yourself, avoid shady people," She turned to the last page. "Pile of wanted posters."

She dropped the paper on the ground, and Bellemere abandoned Chopper to grab it. Nami rifled through the papers, "A lot of new faces. Hey, isn't this Pepper? From Syrup Village?"

Luffy looked over Nami's shoulder, "Looks like it. I wonder how Usopp is doing."

Nami shrugged, "We'll be seeing him soon, so we can ask him then. Let's see…" She continued shuffling through them. "It's Milo!"

"What?"

Nami held up the wanted poster. "Garp said he had a bounty, right?"

Luffy laughed, taking the sheet from Nami. "It is him! Ha! His first bounty!"

"Be careful with that," Nami snatched the paper back. "It's his first bounty! This is important."

"I know," Luffy grinned. "Let's put it on the fridge."

Bellemere looked up from the newspaper, several pages folded into origami cranes. "Is Milo in trouble?"

"Not with us," Nami said, turning the page so her daughter could view it. "With the government. I never thought this day would come! He's such a quiet boy."

"Congratulations," Robin said, smiling. "Now Tom, Blake. I want one of you to get one next, alright?"

"Mom!" Blake complained.

Tom grinned, "I'll get right on that."

"That's my _SUPER _sons," Franky said, placing a large hand on each boy's shoulder. "Shoot for as high as you can get it."

* * *

Simon picked up the paper the Marine handed to him, sitting down and flipping through it. He stopped when he saw Milo's face staring back at him. "Tim."

The teenager turned towards his father at the sound of his name. "Yeah?" Simon held out the thin sheet of paper, and Tim took it, "What's this? Milo?"

Andy leaned over Tim's shoulder. "What about Milo? Is that a wanted poster?"

Tim nodded, "Milo the Prince. Strange name."

"Well, his dad said he was a king, right?" Andy recalled, "Maybe they found out," He nodded at a marine officer standing nearby. "Is there anything else?"

Simon shook his head, "No. I don't see anything else. Except that he's with another pirate crew, the Whitebeard Pirates."

"Why isn't he with his dad?" Tim asked, frowning. "I mean, he is really protective of his kids."

"I don't know," Simon said.

Andy snorted, "What kind of name is Whitebeard? I mean, that's almost as bad as Blackbeard."

Lieutenant Figgs glanced up at the name as Andy laughed at the stereotypical name. "I wouldn't laugh at Blackbeard," He said.

Andy shut up, "Why not? That name is incredibly common for pirates."

"Maybe it's not so common here," Simon said.

"It's not," Figgs said, "Marshal D. Teach was a ruthless man, but he was once a warlord."

"War-what?"

"One of the Seven Warlords," Figgs explained. "But the only reason he wanted to become one was to gather a crew from Impel Down inmates. He succeeded too, unfortunately. It was almost a relief when Straw-hat got rid of him."

Andy and Tim grimaced slightly at being reminded of Luffy's past actions. "What did he do?" Tim asked, "Blackbeard."

Figgs sighed, "The warlords are pirates who work with the World Government. To become one, a pirate has to prove their worth. Since there were a couple spots open, we couldn't turn Teach down when he showed up with a captured Fire Fist."

"Fire Fist?"

"The second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Fire Fist Ace. Very powerful. He had the power of the Flame Flame Fruit." Figgs explained. "He was the son of the past Pirate King and the late brother of the current one. So, we gave him the position. That was our first mistake." Figgs shook his head, grimacing. "He ended up freeing prisoners from Impel Down and rampaging in the War of the Best. He was the one to kill Whitebeard, in fact. And that caused an uproar in the New World. That took years to settle down."

"Wow," Andy said. "That sounds like something out of an adventure story. Or…" He trailed off.

Figgs nodded, leaving the group.

"That sounds like Luffy's story," Andy whispered. "That sounds just like his story. Remember the character he called the black man? Blackbeard. He's probably him."

"You're right," Tim whispered back. "So is Fire Fist Luffy's brother?"

"Probably," Andy whispered back.

* * *

**You guys have voted, and Milo is getting a Devil Fruit power. It won't happen for a few chapters, but I know which one I'm giving him.**


	19. Chapter 19

**I do apologize for the wait. A lot. I've been busy with schoolwork. I finished this chapter last night, and those of you who read Fire Power know why. And my step-dad found another one in the garage, so I really hope he hires an exterminator. I don't think I can take any more wolf spiders in my room. Those things are huge!**

* * *

Usopp almost had a fit when someone ran into town shouting about pirates. He was half tempted to join the man, bringing back his old ways. But then he realized they were serious. "It's the Whitebeards!"

"Are you serious?" Usopp demanded, "Where?"

He gestured madly towards the docks, "Out in the bay! It's really them!"

Usopp laughed, "Great!"

"This isn't great!" The man shouted, "They've come to rob us! Or murder us! Or–"

Usopp left the man to his ramblings as he walked towards the harbor. As he reached the end of the street he could see the large figure head of Marco's ship, despite the gathered crowd.

"Honestly," Betty muttered, "Last week was that Pirate Hunter, and this week it's the Whitebeards."

"Last week was a fake," Usopp said. "I'm pretty sure they're real."

Betty shook her head, "I'm heading to the other side of the island. Usopp, are you going to come?"

"Nah," Usopp waved a hand dismissively. "I want to see what Marco's doing here."

Usopp left the crowd, arriving at the harbor. Several people were packing up and heading up to the town. Drey sighed, "Pirates again" He said as Usopp approached him. "It's getting annoying."

"Only the ones who want to attack." Usopp said. "I wonder what Marco is doing here." He began waving.

"You're waving them over?" Drey looked incredulous.

"Yeah. They have no reason to be in the East Blue. In fact, Marco is one of the Emperors. He should be in the New World, or at least the Grand Line." Usopp lowered his hand as a blue bird rose from the ship and began to fly over.

"We should probably get out of here," Gert said, walking by. "We've never dealt with pirates of their caliber before, that is, if what you said about the Pirate Hunter was true."

Usopp groaned and didn't respond to his comment, instead seating himself on the wooden ground and saying. "Go if you want, I'm going to talk to Marco."

Anion scowled as he stopped in front of Usopp, "I want to meet him, Brave Warrior of the sea." His voice was mocking.

Usopp shrugged, leaning back on his hands. "Sure. Marco's almost here, so stay if you want."

Fear flickered across the man's face before he steeled himself. Gert and Drey left, leaving the two of them sitting and awaiting Marco's arrival. "Do… You really know him?"

"Yeah," Usopp nodded. "He's really close to Luffy, considering Luffy's brother was a Whitebeard Pirate."

Anion didn't respond, taking a step back as the large flaming phoenix angled itself into a steep dive. As it neared the deck, the phoenix transformed. A tall blond man hit the dock in a crouch, and straightened. "Been a long time, Usopp," Marco grinned and reached down.

Usopp grabbed the outstretched hand, "You can say that again. It's good to see you, but what the hell are you doing here?"

Marco laughed and hauled Usopp to his feet, "That's an interesting story actually. You would need to ask Milo for all the details."

"Milo? New recruit?"

"Sort of… Not really. He's just travelling with us." Marco waved at the ship, which began moving in their direction. "You should probably meet him… He's the son of a friend. Who's that?" He nodded at Anion.

"Anion. He's a friend of mine." Usopp introduced. "Anion, stop gaping. This is Marco."

Anion made a strangled sound in the back of his throat. "It's a Whitebeard…"

Marco nodded slowly, "Yes. I am. Are you… okay?"

"He'll be fine," Usopp said, waving dismissively. "This Milo, whose son is he?"

Marco turned to watch the ship's progression, "See that kid at the bow?"

"Scrawny? Black hair?"

"That's Milo." The ship slowed and turned, lining up with the dock. "Hey, Milo! Come down here!" Usopp watched Milo turn, looking down at the two of them. He grabbed a rope and tossed it over, climbing down. He landed on the deck and turned to Marco, eyeing Usopp warily and ignoring Anion. Usopp felt himself stand up a bit straighter, proud that someone seemed suspicious of him and not Anion, who was much larger.

"Hi," Milo said finally.

"Yo," Usopp smiled. "Marco say's your name is Milo?"

"Yeah. That's me. Who're you?"

"My name's Usopp."

Milo snorted inaudibly, but Usopp caught it. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry, but that's the strangest name I've ever heard." He covered his mouth to hide his grin. "I didn't mean to laugh."

Usopp shrugged, "Eh. So, Marco says I know your dad. Care to share?"

Milo looked over at Marco, "This guy knows Dad?"

"He knows both your parents," Marco said.

Several crewmembers had climbed or jumped down, several of them waving to Usopp before vanishing up the hill that led to the village. Milo examined the man in front of him. He seemed average, with an unusually long nose. But if he was a friend of his father's… And not back home in New York… Well, he was probably a lot stronger than he looked. Milo had thought his parents to be lame, except for their stories, until just a few months ago. Now he had a hard time imagining them living peacefully as they had before.

"My dad's name is Luffy," Milo said, watching Usopp for a reaction.

He got one. Usopp's eyes seemed to bulge out and his jaw dropped. He didn't say anything for a minute, making strange noises and gesturing madly with his hands. Finally, he managed to get out a word. "Lu-Luffy?"

Marco placed a hand on Milo's shoulder. "It's true," Marco said.

"A… And your mother?" Usopp seemed scared to ask.

"Nami," Milo said. Usopp quivered on the spot for a minute, and Milo thought he was going to pass out. "I have a sister too," Milo said as Usopp didn't speak. "Her name's Bellemere." This time, Usopp did fall over. Marco doubled over, laughing, and Milo turned back to glare. He caught Anion's gaze. The man was staring at him with a mixed expression. Surprise, disbelief. Milo frowned, "What?"

Anion looked away and fled, walking quickly until he hit sand, and then running. Milo shook his head, wondering when he would get used to the craziness the people here possessed. Usopp sat up, and Milo held out a hand. Usopp grabbed it, and Milo helped him to his feet. "So you're my captain's kid, huh? Sanji's going to go berserk when he finds out Nami and Luffy are together."

That comment seemed to make Marco laugh harder, "I feel sorry for Sanji," He said. First Robin and Franky, now this." He shook his head, "His restaurant is in this sea, right?"

Usopp nodded, "Actually, Sanji is here. He'll probably be down when he hears you've arrived."

"Speaking of him," Haruta jumped down, landing beside Milo and making Usopp jump, "I saw him coming down the road."

True to her word, Sanji arrived a minute later, his blond hair appearing over the hill. He joined them, grinning at Marco, "I never thought I'd see you here. Miss us?"

Haruta snorted, and Sanji seemed to notice her, "Ah, my lovely Haruta. Would you be so willing as t –" He was cut off mid spin as Haruta drew her sword and placed it at his throat.

"You finish that sentence, I'm going to run you through," She warned through gritted teeth. Milo laughed, slapping a hand over his mouth. This must be the perverted cook from his parent's story.

"So which one are you?" Milo asked Usopp. "I've met the swordsman, and Mom and Dad are the captain and navigator."

"What?" Usopp seemed confused.

"Milo didn't know of his father's… position until just recently." Marco explained, not bothering to stop Haruta as she assaulted Sanji.

"But Mom and Dad told me stories about adventurers, and used titles like captain, swordsman, doctor… That sort of thing. I'm guessing he's the cook." Milo pointed at Sanji. Or rather, where Sanji had just been standing. It seemed Haruta had pushed him off the dock and into the water.

"I'm the sharpshooter," Usopp said. "How did you know he was part of the crew?"

"Mom used to go on rants about a womanizing cook," Milo said, and Usopp just nodded. After Haruta stalked up the hill, Marco fished Sanji out of the water.

"Women hate me," Sanji cried dramatically, falling over in a heap.

Usopp snorted, "You wouldn't have as much trouble if you stopped flirting with others while you were dating." Sanji groaned and pressed his face harder into the wood. "On a better note," Usopp continued, "This is Milo. He's Luffy's son."

Sanji's head shot up, "WHAAAAAAT?"

Milo actually covered his ears to repel the girly shriek that came from the blond man. "Yeah. I am."

Sanji pushed his torso up so he was sitting on his knees, "You think you're Luffy's kid?"

"I am," Milo repeated. "Milo Monkey, or, I guess it's Monkey D. Milo here, right?"

"Have you got any proof?" Sanji stood up off his knees, towering over Milo.

"Sure," Milo reached into his pocket, drawing out his phone. He turned it on, noting that he had half power left. He had brought his charger this time, but he didn't know if there were any outlets that would fit it. Maybe when he met up with his parents they could have their shipwright adjust it. But he ignored the fact and held up the picture. Sanji leaned down so he could get a better look, and then jumped back with a wail of horror.

"NO! MY BEAUTIFUL NAMI!" Sanji cried out, sinking to his knees again.

"See this, Sanji," Usopp said sternly, "This is why you can't keep a girlfriend."

Milo snorted.

* * *

Luffy was lying on the grass, staring up at the sky with a bored expression on his face. Bellemere was sprawled across his stomach and drawing on his arm. Nami had made sure it wasn't a permanent marker, as it took Zoro several days to remove his from his forehead. Kuina was still avoiding him, but the adults of the crew could tell he had given up. He cared a lot about his daughter, even if he didn't seem to show it.

"I wanna find Sanji," Luffy groaned. "His cooking is the best…"

"We're getting close to the Red Line and Reverse Mountain," Nami sighed. "Just be patient. We should probably make a stop at one of these islands before we cross into East Blue. I don't know how accommodating the people there would be. And it's still a few day's sail to get to Cocoyashi and Syrup village. I assume you want to stop at Foosha too, right?"

Luffy nodded, "You can meet Daden," He told Bellemere. "I lived with her when I was younger. She looks really scary, but she loves little girls."

"That makes me think she wants to eat them," Robin commented, and Bellemere stopped drawing.

"I don't wanna get eaten."

"She isn't going to eat you," Nami assured. "I haven't met her before, but if she put up with Luffy and Ace while they were kids, that woman is capable of anything."

Luffy laughed. Robin looked up from her book, "She seems intriguing. I really would like to meet her now."

* * *

"Alright," Nami said loudly a few hours later. She exited her and Luffy's cabin and spread out a map on the kitchen table. "We're here, and this island is the biggest one we're going to pass before we reach Reverse Mountain." Nami tapped the island. "We're going to come around back, like usual, and stock up on food, water, supplies, and Zoro, if you want and alcohol you have to get it yourself. We're going to be arriving in an hour, around four. It's going to be really busy then, so we can blend in. There's also a marine base here, but we're just going to have to be careful."

"Roger," Franky cheered, and Luff grinned.

"Can I come?" Bellemere asked, and Nami glanced down.

"You can come with me and help me get more charts," She said. We only had one map of East Blue, and I can't find it. I'm going to have to get more. Luffy, you and Robin are in charge of food. Take any kids you want to help carry it and cart it back to the ship. Zoro and Franky, you are on a cola run. Please don't draw any attention to yourselves. The last thing we need to worry about is the marines."

Nami dished out the money and everyone got to work, managing the sails and adjusting their course. When the island came into view, they drew in their sails and just sailed on momentum. The marine base would be able to see the skull and crossbones on their sails from their distance. The flag was smaller and less noticeable. If they looked this way they would probably only make out the black of the flag.

Franky steered the ship around and docked in a small harbor. The wind lessened, allowing their flag to slacken and hide who they were from the people. Nami stopped Luffy from jumping down, "Your hat is too recognizable," She said sternly, crossing her arms to emphasize her point.

Luffy pouted, "But it's…"

"No buts," Nami said firmly. "You can either stay on the ship with your hat, or help Robin without it."

Luffy pouted, removing his hat and staring at it. Suddenly, he smiled and placed it on Bellemere's head, "Take care if it for me, right?"

Bellemere nodded excitedly, "Aye, Captain." She gave a sloppy salute.

Luffy patted her on her head, "That's my girl." Nami allowed him to jump over the rail this time, joining Robin, Tom, Blake, and Kuina, who were waiting from him on the dock. Nami had Zoro and Franky wait until the first group was out of sight before sending them off to get cola. She herself waited the same time before she and Bellemere left in search of maps.

Like she had predicted, the streets were crowded. Nami kept a tight hold on Bellemere's hand as she wove her way through people and finally emerged on a less busy street. "Excuse me," She said politely to an older woman sitting in front of a building.

The old woman looked up with a smile, "Yes, dearie?"

"Would you happen to know where you can buy maps around here? We just docked and realized we have no maps of East Blue."

The old woman placed her book on the small table beside her chair and stood. "Yes, I do know of a place. You're lucky, miss. This is the only store that carries them. I'm closed, but I'm sure I could make an exception for you."

Nami smiled in relief, "Thank you very much."

The woman hobbled into the building and gestured for Nami to follow. She did, towing Bellemere along with her. She followed the woman to the counter and released Bellemere, who ran off to look at a large map pinned to the wall. "You said you docked here. Are you the navigator on your ship?"

"Yes," Nami said.

"And is that your assistant?" She gestured to Bellemere, who was tracing a river with the tip of her finger. Nami realized the map was one of the island.

"No, she's my daughter," Nami corrected.

"Mommy," Bellemere said suddenly, "What are these?"

"Those are contour lines," Nami explained. "Remember when you had to draw a map of your back yard for school, and I helped you measure how high the rock was?"

Bellemere nodded slowly, "Oh yeah! And we had to draw a circle showing how big it was and write the tallness of it!"

Nami smiled, "That's right. Those lines there show how high the mountain is. See here," Nami walked over and pointed at the top of the mountain. "What's that number?"

Bellemere squinted up at the map, "400."

"That means this mountain is 400 meters tall." Nami explained.

"That's so cool!" Bellemere exclaimed, going back to intently studying the map.

"Are you sure she's not your apprentice?" The old woman said, smiling as Nami came back. "She's a very bright child."

"Well, she does like learning, which is more than I can say about my son and husband." Nami said. "She hasn't been sailing long. Only a few months. I'm hoping she takes an interest in it though."

The old woman nodded before rummaging through a stack of maps sitting on a shelf. She pulled a parchment from the middle of the stack and handed it to Nami, "I believe this is what you're looking for?"

Nami examined it, "Yes, this is. Thank you very much. Bellemere, could you come here for a second?" Bellemere reluctantly left the handing map and approached her mother. "Could you hold this for me?" Bellemere took it, her eyes shining again as she started looking over that one.

"This one is smaller," She commented.

"Yes, it is," Nami agreed, reaching into her pocket and retrieving her coin purse. "But it's a bigger area. You see this island? That's where I was born. And this one is where your father was born. We also got our first ship here." Nami pointed to all the different islands as she explained them.

"You're originally from East Blue?" The old woman asked.

Nami nodded, "Yeah. How much for the map?"

"One hundred and fifty beri," The woman said, but then reached under the counter and withdrew a book. "And you can give this to your daughter, free of charge."

Nami took the book, the title 'Navigation for Beginners' printed on the front. "Are you sure?" Nami asked, flipping through it quickly. "I have the money to pay for it."

The old woman shook her head, "I was once a navigator aboard a marine ship. I like it when the young ones take an interest in it. Now a days people rely on machines to get them through the oceans." She shook her head. "It's a shame. There are almost double the ships sinking due to them getting lost when the blasted machines break."

"That is a shame," Nami said. "There are no navigation machines on my ship. I wouldn't trust them enough as my own senses."

"So take the book and let your daughter become a navigator. Maybe she'll work for the marines one day."

Nami smiled and handed the old woman the money, "If she wants to, she can. Although…"

"Although?" The woman inquired.

"I'm a pirate," Nami admitted. "And so is her father. I don't think Bellemere's going to be a marine with her heritage."

"You're a pirate?" The old woman said, examining Nami. "You don't look like one."

"I know," Nami laughed, "We're not really the conventional pirates. But I do have a bounty."

"Yeah," Bellemere huffed. "Mommy has one, Daddy has one, Milo has one! And I don't! It's not fair."

"Bella," Nami sighed, "You're twelve. I didn't get mine until I was seventeen. Your father didn't get his first bounty until he was seventeen. Milo is almost seventeen. You have to be patient." She turned back to the old woman, "Sorry about that. If you want, I can still pay for the book."

"What is your bounty?" The old woman asked.

"Mine?" Nami asked. "Two hundred million."

"Is it really?" The woman asked. "You look delicate. I find it hard to believe."

"I can assure you I'm not delicate," Nami said, taking the map and handing Bellemere the book. "Although I do have one of the lowest bounties in my crew."

The old woman shook her head, "Honestly, young people and pirates. Aren't there any who want to become marines? There was the pirate era after Gold Roger died, and then that war over Fire Fist. Then the second Pirate King's death, and his apparent resurrection. So many pirates. It's a shame."

"I've been a pirate since I was seventeen," Nami said. "It would be hard to abandon the lifestyle now."

"I suppose you're right." The old woman sighed. "I was raised as a marine, so that's what I'll be until the day I die."

"Ace shouldn't have died," Nami said, leaning against a shelf.

"Fire Fist was the son of Gold Roger," The woman said.

"That doesn't mean he's like him," Nami said. "Ace was… A good man."

"You knew him?" The old woman asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah. I met him while my crew was in Alabasta. He's very polite. And the whole thing about him being the incarnation of Roger is bullshit. Ace never knew the man. In fact, he hated him. That's what Luffy told me, anyway. He loved Whitebeard."

"Luffy? As in Straw-hat Luffy?" The old woman's voice rose a few pitches. "You knew him too?!"

Nami shook her head, "Not knew." The woman let out a relieved breath. "I know him."

The old woman sputtered slightly. "He's dead."

"No he's not. He went off the radar to raise his kids." Nami gestured for Bellemere to come over.

"Children?"

"Most of the Straw-hat Pirates have kids now, or so I'm told. I've met Zoro's daughter, and Robin and Franky's boys." Nami placed a hand on Luffy's hat and pulled it off Bellemere's head. "Then there are Luffy's kids."

The old woman seemed to recognize the hat. Then she made the connection. "That's Straw-hat Luffy's hat, isn't it."

Nami nodded, "This is my daughter, Monkey D. Bellemere. I'm Nami, the navigator of the Straw-hat Pirates."

The woman leaned back in her chair. "So those rumors are true. You really are alive."

"And kicking. Once we find Sanji, that will become quite literal." Nami smiled, "We just came to this island to resupply, so you don't have to worry about us plundering or anything."

The old woman just shook her head, "I wasn't worried about that. In all honesty, your crew seems quite respectful. I might have alerted the marines should I still have been part of them, but…" She shook her head again and gave Bellemere a smile. "If what you say about Fire Fist is true, then this child is innocent, despite the blood she carries in her veins."

"Well, she's the great granddaughter of a marine Vice Admiral, the granddaughter of the leader of the revolutionary army, the daughter of the pirate king, and an official member of the Straw-hat Pirates. She likes cute things and learning. Isn't that a contrast?"

The old woman laughed, "Quite. Keep the book, and stay out of trouble until you leave the island."

"I don't think I can keep that kind of promise with a captain like Luffy," Nami said. As she spoke, a loud yell could be heard echoing through the streets. "In fact, I think we should probably start running."

"Then go," The old woman said. "You don't seem like a bad person, Miss Nami. Maybe the way marines look at pirates is wrong."

"Oh, no." Nami shook her head. "Pirates are vicious, bloodthirsty, and will kill their allies without a second thought. But we're the Straw-hat Pirates. We don't really consider ourselves pirates. We're more like adventurers. More like a family." She waved over her shoulder as she left the shop, Bellemere's hand clutched tightly in hers again. A wave of marines ran by, startling the pair. She started running in the opposite direction, taking a shortcut to the harbor while Bellemere held on tight to her book and laughed.

She reached the ship, noting that the only person not aboard was Luffy. She ushered Bellemere up the ladder, following close behind. Once she was up she had everyone set sail, and they were halfway across the small bay when Luffy made it to the docks, a crowd of marines behind him. Even from this distance, Nami could see his smile. She grabbed the railing with one hand and reached out with the other, shouting his name to get his attention.

Luffy looked up and saw her, stretching his arm and grabbing her hand.

As soon as everyone was safely aboard, they dropped their sails and allowed the wind to unfurl them. There was shouting from the dock as they realized who they were chasing. Nami grinned as Luffy pulled a face back at them. "Well, should we set sail for Reverse Mountain?" She asked.

"Yes!" Luffy shouted. "Let's get back the rest of our crew!"


	20. Chapter 20

Nami lay on her and Luffy's shared bed, her face buried in the pillow. She felt the bed dip slightly as Luffy sat beside her, and his warm hand on her back. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Nami rolled over onto her back, regretting it when Luffy removed his hand. "I'm just getting used to being back," She said, sitting up and moving closer. "I'm worried about Milo, too. I know he's in good hands, but… He wasn't raised here. He…"

"He doesn't really have the same drive we do," Luffy finished.

Nami nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. Luffy wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, resting his chin on the top of her head and brushing his fingers through her hair. "He never faced the extremes we did when we were his age. He was raised in paradise compared to us." Nami pressed her face into his chest, her hand coming up to rest on his scar.

"And Bellemere is only twelve," Luffy added. "She's the child of the pirate king. They both are. That puts them in a lot of danger. Gramps said he's met Milo, and that scares me. If the marines find out who he is…" He shook his head.

"More and more people believe that you're back," Nami mumbled. "And they know we have kids aboard. If they decide to attack us, we have to defend them as well as fight. Bellemere loves fighting, but I don't think she can handle the kind of stuff we get into."

"We're pirates," Luffy said. "And because we are, so are they. It's like the government and Ace. He was doomed the moment everyone found out who his father was." His hands tightened slightly. "And me with my own father. The marines are obsesses with wiping out the bloodlines of people they don't like."

"And they don't like the Straw-hat Pirates," Nami added. "I don't want our kids to be a part of that."

"It's already too late for Milo," Luffy sighed. "He's got a bounty. Milo the Prince. It's not going to take people long to figure out we're related."

Nami took a deep breath, "But… I don't want to go back to New York, either. We have to make a decision soon, Luffy. About our future. About the kids."

"I know," Luffy murmured into her hair. She sat back, untangling herself from Luffy's arms. Abruptly, she leaned forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around her neck. After a minute, she pulled away.

"But we can deal with that in the morning," She said, standing and turning off the light before crawling under the sheets beside her husband. "We'll work something out. We always do."

* * *

They awoke the next morning to someone pounding furiously on their door. "WAKE THE HELL UP!" Zoro shouted, slamming his fist into the wood again. Luffy jumped up and threw on a pair of shorts, Nami doing the same, but putting on a shirt before they burst through the door.

"What is it?" Luffy demanded, as Zoro spun on his heel and sprinted outside. The two followed, and as soon as they were on deck, they saw the reason they had been woken up.

An island could be seen not too far away. It looked ordinary, and large enough that Nami's log pose had locked onto it. It was lucky they had an eternal pose to Whiskey Peak, because the strange light that had taken Luffy and Nami from this world, and given them back, was hovering above the island and slowly descending.

"Were there people on that island?" Robin asked, and Nami shrugged helplessly. The crew continued staring until the island had been swallowed up and the light vanished.

"That was a lot bigger…" Nami whispered. "Much bigger than the school."

* * *

Usopp ended up inviting Marco, Milo, and a few of his crewmates to his house, silently hoping Milo didn't eat as much as his father. Most of the crew had wandered off, exploring the town. Sanji sulked, dragging his feet and kicking up dust as he trailed behind them and muttering. Milo, who was closest to him heard his mother's name a few times, along with the name 'Robin'.

Haruta patted Milo on the back, "Ignore him. He's a womanizer, and a jerk."

"It's just really creepy to hear him saying Mom's name like that," Milo said. "I've never even heard Dad do that."

A shudder ran through Sanji's body, "Please don't mention that fact…" He whimpered, and Milo turned away.

"Well if you were loyal to girls, you wouldn't be in this mess," Haruta snapped, her hand on her sword as she glared.

"Please calm down," Usopp said, "The people here aren't used to pirates. I don't think they can handle you guys."

Milo snorted, knowing how true that was. From what he had seen these men were virtually harmless, more parties and fun. But he hadn't been with them long; definitely not long enough to see any real fights. He knew they were powerful, that was for sure. With all the devil fruit users they had aboard, and the sheer size of others. But he himself had never seen them in a serious fight. He was curious, certainly. But his gut was telling him it was better off not getting involved, to stay safe.

At the same time, he was glad he was on their good side. He was practically defenseless, barely knowing how to fight using the weapon Marco gave him. It made him feel useless. Marco was strong, and claimed that Luffy was even stronger. That scared Milo. He had always looked up to his father, wanting to be just like him. But now that he knew the truth, that goal would be even harder to achieve now.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a shout, and watched as a small blur crashed into Usopp's legs. He smiled when he realized it was a kid, most likely his. It reminded him of Bellemere. Another one rounded a corner of the large house up the hill and was waving merrily at the group. "DAD!"

The girl who had joined them looked up shyly, smiling brightly at her father. "Are these your friends Daddy?" She asked. "Are they pirates? Hey! I know you!" She looked to Milo as she said this.

"I haven't been here before," Milo said, as the girl reached out and touched his hand.

"But I saw your face. It was with those posters in the mail," She said, jerking back as Milo moved.

"A wanted poster?" Marco asked, and Usopp shrugged.

"You're a pirate too?" The girl asked Milo, who hesitated, and then nodded.

"I suppose I am." He answered, and the girl held out her hand again before latching onto his arm.

"That's so cool! I wanna be a pirate. Do ya think I can do it?" She grinned up at him.

"Now Merry," Usopp chided.

"I don't mind," Milo said, "I have a little sister. Your name's Merry?" She nodded. "I'm Milo."

"Yeah!" She said. "I remember now. Your poster said Milo the Prince. Are you a prince? Of what country? Are you rich?"

"Uh…" Milo blinked as he was bombarded with questions, and Usopp came to his rescue.

"He's the Pirate King's son," Usopp told his daughter, who lit up even more.

"Really?!"

Milo laughed as Merry started dragging him up the hill, heading towards the large house. "Be careful!" Usopp shouted. "Don't do anything reckless!"

"Milo's pretty responsible," Marco said as Milo and Merry vanished behind the house. "Don't worry about them."

"Alright," Usopp said, leading them up to the house. Kaya greeted them, ushering them into the living room. "So, tell me about Milo."

"The kid?" Marco said, "He's… Not what I pictured as Luffy's kid. But he is telling the truth." Marco shrugged. "He's showing a lot of potential, so I'm hoping he can learn how to use a weapon. I've given him a pole, but he hasn't named it yet. It's going to be a while until he thinks himself strong, but I'm sure he could do it."

"Well, considering his parentage, I really wouldn't doubt it. He seems really stubborn." Sanji said, following Kaya into the room and carrying a tray of food. He placed it on the table and took a seat.

"He reminds me of Ace," Marco admitted, looking out the window. Brandon was brandishing a wooden sword and hit Milo in the shin. Milo pretended to fall over, dying dramatically, to the children's delight.

"So is he part of your crew?" Usopp asked, changing the subject.

Marco shook his head, "Not yet. Like I said, he's really stubborn. We actually didn't find out his parentage until… well, last week."

Usopp coughed, "You mean he didn't tell you? Doesn't he know you and Luffy are friends?"

"Well, I really don't think he did." Marco said. "You see, the reason we're in East Blue right now is because we, well, we were pulled into another world."

Sanji laughed, "You're sounding like Usopp."

"I'm not lying," Marco said. "Milo claims to be from that world. There was a huge flash of light, and suddenly, we weren't in the Grand Line anymore. There was an enormous island, with very tall buildings and strange technology. Milo seemed used to it. I think he spent his entire life there, which would mean Luffy and Nami spent that time there too."

"A white light?" Sanji questioned.

"Is that what you saw when…"

"Yeah. Bright, and a ring seemed to descend over them. When the light subsided, they were gone," Sanji said.

Namur nodded, "There was a ring, which was the source of the light."

Usopp grimaced, "So it's happened twice. Does that mean it'll happen again?"

"I hope not," Marco said. "The people on the other side… They don't seem too friendly. Milo didn't seem to mind them, but they don't like secrets. That's going to be an issue. There's also the fact that there aren't pirates over there."

"I don't know what to think of that," Sanji said, frowning. "That thing Milo had, that black thing. Is that something from his world?"

"He calls it a phone," Namur said. "It is supposed to work like a transponder snail."

"That's stupid," Usopp said. "That thing looks breakable as hell."

Marco shrugged, "That doesn't really matter. Right now, he wants to find his parents. I'm guessing you want to find Luffy and Nami too, right?"

Sanji nodded, "That's right. But we were just going to stay put. They're coming this way with the Sunny."

"That sounds like a good plan. I'd leave Milo with you, but I'm going to be selfish. I want him in the crew." Marco said. "We'll find your captain, and then I'll try to convince both of them to let Milo join us."

"Good luck trying to argue with Nami," Usopp said.

Marco laughed, glancing at the door as it opened. Merry and Brandon ran through, jumping up onto the couch. Milo followed at a more sated pace, closing the door behind him. "Uh, hi."

* * *

Gert walked through the almost empty street, the only other people belonging to the Whitebeard Pirates. Surprisingly nothing looked broken, as he had thought he would find when walking down the main street. He hoped Usopp was alright. He jumped when someone shouted, but it was just one person yelling to another.

He grimaced slightly, thinking about the past encounters with famous pirates. Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate King's first mate, and now the Whitebeard Pirates. And Usopp interacted with both of them. He let out a breath, turning a corner and coming face to face with the 12th division commander, Haruta.

"Yo," She grinned, waving, despite their closeness. "You haven't seen Marco around, have you? I need to talk to him. Like, now."

"I haven't seen him," Gert answered honestly. "But I would try the mansion up the road. That's where Usopp lives, if you know who that is."

"Usopp lives in a mansion?" Haruta said, "I thought he was lying. Anyway, those marine ships… Did anyone in your village call them?" She pointed over her shoulder. At the end of the road, the cliff was visible, and beyond that, the sea. Like she had said, there were marine ships visible on the horizon.

"I don't believe any of us did," Gert said, stepping out of the way. Haruta frowned, and took off, heading in the direction Gert had pointed out. She knew Usopp well enough to know he lied a lot? Maybe he was telling the truth… He glanced out at the marine ships, which were steadily drawing closer. No one on the island would have called the marines on one of the emperors, knowing that the marines stationed in East Blue would be slaughtered. And the pirate ship was out of sight of the regular patrols, so a scout wouldn't have reported it that fast. He placed a hand on his forehead, not able to come up with an answer.

* * *

Haruta ran, bursting through the door to the mansion uninvited. Following the sound of laughter, she found her captain and a few division commanders, as well as Milo, who was standing at the back door. "We have a problem," She said. "There are marine ships, coming from the north."

Marco was on his feet in an instant, running through the back door and transforming. He flew up and out of sight, before dropping to the ground a few minutes later. Everyone had crowded outside the second he took off. "She's right. There's a fleet headed this way."

"We got here last night!" Milo exclaimed. "How could find us so fast?"

"Who knows," Marco said. "But if they're here for us, then we should probably get out of here. We can out sail them and get to Reverse Mountain."

"Who would call the marines?" Kaya asked. "We serve pirates constantly at the harbor."

"Who knows," Usopp said. "But I know that Marco should probably get out of here. Brandon, Merry, wait inside, alright?"

"But I wanna see Milo!" Merry whined.

"You'll see him again when we meet up with Luffy, alright? You'll get to meet his sister too. Now, inside."

Kaya ushered them inside, telling Usopp to be careful before following herself. She came back a minute later and handed Usopp his Black Kobatu and mask, kissing his cheek. "I'll be careful," Usopp assured, taking her hand. "I promise."

"You'd better be," She said, jabbing him in the chest with her finger and leaving the group.

Marco turned to the two other Whitebeard's, "Go round everyone up and get back to the ship. I don't want to cause a fight this close to a civilian island."

"Aye," They said, running down the road.

"Milo, stay with me. We're going to board their ship and see what they're doing here." Marco said, and Milo paled. "Are you ready?"

"No," Milo muttered, but pulled his weapon from his pocket.

"Usopp," Marco said. "I don't know what you plan to do. If you want to help us, that's fine. But be careful. I don't want you jeopardizing your family.

"I'll be fine," Usopp said, holding up his mask. "The marines are terrified of the Straw-hat Pirates. If I show them one of them are here, and will defend this island."

"Good luck," He said, as Usopp left. Marco turned to Milo, who was gripping his pole with two hands, his knuckles turning white. "They're probably going to dock, and that's when they'll see us. I don't think they're here for us, but they will be when they realize we're here."

"I think they're here for the light," Milo said. "The government back home can track it, right? So your government might be able to track it too."

"That's a good point," Marco said, leading him towards the shore. "If that's the case, then they must have set off last night, which would have given them the time to get here from headquarters."

"So… Is this going to be a surprise attack?" Milo asked, as they reached the edge of the cliff. The ships were less than a mile away, and Milo could see specks running around on deck.

"No," Marco said. "It's an 'if they attack us, we fight back'. And I think you're right about them coming to investigate that light. See? They're aiming that way. That means they're not going to be coming in range of the harbor. Bet!" He shouted, seeing one of the crew run by. "Tell those guys on the ship to not set sail yet!"

"Yessir!"

Marco turned back to watch. "They're probably going to dock along these cliffs here," Marco gestured to the cliff they were standing on. "It seems closest to the area."

"So what are we going to do?" Milo asked.

"Just watch and wait," Marco answered. He sat down, a safe distance away from the sightline of the ships. Milo joined him, not relinquishing his hold on his weapon. "How much do you know about marines?" Marco asked.

"Not much," Milo admitted. "I don't think they're like the Navy back home. I only know what you guys told me, and what I remember from Mom and Dad's stories."

"Well, these ones aren't as strong as the ones in the Grand Line. But they can be formidable if you aren't prepared or underestimate them. You've met Garp, right?" Milo nodded. "You've probably realized that he's your great-grandfather. He's the one who took Gold Roger into custody."

"Dad told me that he was the King of the Pirates before him. So marines can be that strong?" Milo said. "He made them seem so weak in his stories."

"That's because your father is one of the strongest people in the world." Marco said, glancing over his shoulder as he heard footsteps. "Haruta, what's wrong?"

"They sent out a scout ship," Haruta said. "They've seen us."

"Damn it!" Marco cursed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a baby transponder snail. Tossing it to Milo, he said, "Keep watching that ship. If anything happens, call me." He followed Haruta back into the empty town.

"What?" Milo exclaimed after him, before swallowing hard and looking over the edge of the small cliff. The marine ships were getting ready to dock, the sails sporting the marine logo and a large VP. He bit his lip, inching back. VP. His father had mentioned that before, apparently a marine mad scientist. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember the name.

He waited a few more minutes, leaning over again to observe. This time, he made eye contact with a person, who was over halfway up the cliff. The marine gave a shout, alerting the others on the ship. Milo swore, scrambling back and reaching for the transponder snail. He paused, looking at it. Should he warn Marco? They were just East Blue marines, and apparently weak compared to the Grand Line, and even the other seas. Calling for help might just make him seem cowardly.

Milo saw a hand appear over the cliff, and a bundle of rope was tossed over the side. Milo scrambled back, ducking behind the bushes of the nearest house. It wasn't the best hiding spot, but it did give him time to think.

Should he attack himself? But Marco warned him not to underestimate them. Milo had almost no fighting skills, mostly relying on swinging his pole around and hoping it hit the enemies. And he always had people to back him up if he got in trouble. He stared at the snail, who looked peaceful as it slept.

"I swear I saw someone," He heard someone say, and he carefully pushed away a branch to see what was going on. The marine had climbed up, and had tied the rope to a nearby tree, the other end hanging over the cliff edge. More marines had joined the first, and were looking around the area.

"Ya sure you aren't seeing things?" Another asked, "'Cause I can't see anyone."

"I'm sure," The first insisted. "He looked over the edge and I saw him."

"He might just be one of the locals," The second one said.

"But the Whitebeards are here," The first said. "And I can't see a single person in town. The locals are probably dead."

The marines thought they had killed everyone? Milo frowned, shifting slightly to get a better view. Maybe the marines were really biased. He had only met Gadding and Figgs, and they had threatened his sister. But he didn't know all marines were like that. Garp seemed pretty okay, but he had said they were acting.

Milo made a decision, his mind screaming at him that it was stupid. He stood up, "We didn't kill anyone," He said loudly, and the marines grouped all turned to stare at him. Milo's hands trembled as he held up his weapon defensively. "Dad was right, you're all biased and stupid."

"Who're you, brat," A third marine asked, grinning.

"See?" The first said, "I told you I wasn't seeing things."

The third noticed the transponder snail at Milo's feet, noting the white mustache it sported. "He's a Whitebeard Pirate."

"WHAT?" The fourth exclaimed, and Milo's hands tightened.

Milo didn't deny it, knowing that if they thought he was with them, they wouldn't dare to kill him. "So?" Milo asked. "What are you going to do? If you're here for that light, then you have no reason to be on the island."

"You know about that?" The second said slowly.

Milo set his mouth in a thin line, but the marines got their answer.

"He knows about the light," The first marine said. "Do you know about the project too?" He demanded.

"Project?"

"You idiot," Four slapped the back of one's head. "We have to get rid of him now. Vegapunk will kill us."

"But if we kill him, Marco's gonna kill us," The third pointed out. Milo took a step back, tensing his legs and getting ready to run. He knocked over the transponder snail, the receiver falling off the shell. The snail's eyes snapped open, and he began emitting a low hum.

"We still have to take him in," The second one said, grinning and stalking forward.

Milo took off, running down the road. He didn't get far. The marines were faster, despite the adrenaline running through Milo's body. One of them tackled Milo to the ground, kicking up dirt as they rolled. Milo's pole clattered to the ground. He managed to elbow the marine in the face, and warm liquid dripped onto Milo's arm. Twisting around to try and get in another hit, Milo realized he had broken the marine's nose. He drew an arm back, but the marine caught his wrist and pinned it at his side. Milo thrashed, kicking his legs and trying to free his trapped limbs.

Another marine hauled Milo to his feet, holding his hands behind him with an iron grip. Despite Milo's struggling, he wasn't able to free himself as he was led back to the cliff. The marine holding him threw the teenager over his shoulder and climbed down. There weren't many people aboard the ship, and Milo was shoved forward once they hit the deck.

Panic started building, as Milo was dragged into the ship. "Where do ya wanna keep him? This is a research vessel. We don't have a brig."

"Put him in one of the storage rooms," One said. "Just make sure it isn't one of the ones carrying Vegapunk's Devil Fruits."

"Alright," Milo was dragged down another hall and shoved unceremoniously into a room. He stumbled as the door slammed behind him. Milo let out a low curse, rubbing his wrists. A little light shone through a tiny porthole on the far wall, and he stood, examining the small room. Several crates were stacked against the walls, but apart from that the room was bare. He had to get out of there, before Marco realized he had been caught. He let out a breath and examined the walls. Maybe there was a weak spot.

Standing near the door he paused for a moment, hearing voices outside. He pressed his ear against a crack.

"Apparently this one has a bounty."

"That's a shame. We could have collected it. How much?"

"Here's the poster. Milo the Prince, 20 million."

"That's pretty high for the East Blue. Although, Straw-hat still holds that record."

"He didn't get it in the East Blue. Says here it was in the Grand Line."

"That kid's been to the Grand Line?"

Milo pulled away as the voices started to fade, not wanting to hear any more. The walls seemed sturdy, so he turned to the crates. He tried to pry one of them open, but they were secured tightly. He gave up, sitting on it. He stared out the window, hoping Marco would find him. Or even one of the division commanders.

Suddenly, a thought came to him. The window! The wood was sturdy, but it was full of cracks. If he could pry the planks apart… He hopped off the crate and approached the window, tearing off a piece of his shirt and wrapping it around his knuckles. Glancing at the door one more time, he drove his fist through the window. It shattered and Milo caught a large piece before it fell into the water below, wincing as a sharp edge gouged a gash on his palm.

He unwound the cloth and wrapped it around the cut, approaching the door again. Kneeling, he peered through the large gap be found, peering through to make sure the coast was clear before inserting the piece into the gap. He maneuvered it around a bit before getting lucky and finding a weak patch.

He carved the wood until he made a hole big enough to fit a few fingers through. He carefully placed the glass on the ground beside him and shoved his fingers in and pulling back. The wood cracked near the bottom of the plank, and Milo tore the piece out.

Now he could fit his entire arm through the gap, and he did so, fumbling around until he found the door, and unlocked it.

Creeping out quietly, he strained his ears and listened for footsteps. Hearing none, he turned another corner, and paused. The marines had mentioned Devil Fruits on the ship. Marco had one, and so did his father, and both of them were really strong.

He spotted another door, unlocking it and slipping through. He placed his sweater on the floor to keep the door from closing fully and locking him in before looking around. Like the room he was in, this one was full of crates. The difference here though, was that there were several glass cases chained to the walls, displaying a variety of strange fruits. Were these the Devil Fruits?

He reached the first case when he heard footsteps, and he ducked behind the case. The footsteps faded a few moments later, and he stood again. Lifting the glass, he waited for an alarm to start blaring, but nothing happened. Did they even have alarms in this world? He hoped not.

The fruit in front of him looked about the size of a large apple, and he couldn't place the shape of it. The orange rind had strange swirls, and a green stem. It certainly looked unnatural. He heard voices behind him, and panicked. Grabbing his sweater on his way out, he didn't bother to replace the fruit as he ran in the opposite direction. He came to an exit, peering out in both directions before running out.

The ship looked empty, and he guessed it was because of the missing dories and longboats. Glancing out over the water, he saw them gathered a distance away. Now was his chance to get off the ship! Walking around the mast, he froze and ducked back behind it. Apparently not all the marines had left. And they were in his way.

Looking down at the fruit in his hand, he debated eating it. He knew a lot about Devil Fruits, as long as they were the same ones in the stories his parents told. He looked up when he heard a noise, coming face to face with marine four, the one who caught him. "Shit."

"I'd say you're right, brat." Four said stiffly, reaching to grab Milo. Milo ducked under his arm and sprinted down the deck, skidding to a halt as another marine appeared from the upper deck. He spun wildly, but he was surrounded. He looked down at his sweater, the Devil Fruit wrapped securely in it.

Deciding to screw it all, he yanked it out and took a bite.

* * *

**Sorry about the change, if you've read the first version. It wasn't my best works, and skipbeataddict gave me a better suggestion. So I took it. THe idea comes from them!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Sorry for the delay. Writers block sucks. , you inspired me to finish this chapter.**

* * *

Milo nearly spat out the mouthful, the bitter taste making him gag. He forced it down, wincing. A marine swiped a sword at him, and Milo leaned back. It nicked him though, the tip catching his left temple. It stung, bit he paid it no mind as another sword was aimed in his direction. He ducked under it this time, and took another large bite of the fruit. He shuttered as it slid down his throat, and the fourth bite finished it. He noted quickly that there were no seeds or a pit. He dropped his hand and sprinted through the two marines and to the side of the ship. The cliff was still in reach, but the rope was gone.

He didn't feel any different after eating the fruit and he briefly wondered if he was supposed to feel weird. He turned back around, where the three marines were advancing.

"Watch 'im," Marine four warned. "The little shit just ate a Devil Fruit. I dunno how dangerous new users can be." He looked at the marine beside him. "Go find out which one 'e ate."

The marine ran off, leaving Milo facing the two marines left. He started to reach for his pole, but his pocket was empty, and he remembered dropping it on the road. He held up his fists instead, trying to imitate the stance he had seen Jozu use while fighting.

As his breathing calmed down, the thrill of eating a Devil Fruit wearing off, he began to feel his injuries. His temple throbbed, and he could now feel the warm and sticky liquid clinging to the side of his face. His hand hurt as he clenched his fists. Surprisingly, he hadn't irritated the gash yet. He was sure the action would have reopened the thin scab that had formed. He knew it wouldn't have healed too much in the short time he had it.

He felt his knees trembling as he stared down his opponents. One held a sword, and the other carried a gun. Both deadly.

"Vegapunk's gonna kill us," The gun wielder said .

"I know." The swordsman said. "But we need to catch him. If we bring him to Vegapunk we won't have to worry about finding a human test subject. Maybe he'll be merciful."

Milo swallowed convulsively at the phrase 'human test subject', and he tasted the remaining bitterness of the fruit on his tongue. He glanced quickly over his shoulder at the cliff, trying to determine the distance between the railing and the nearest ledge.

"So catch him alive then," The gun wielder summarized, and the swordsman nodded.

"If we don't want Vegapunk to kill us, we bring him a test subject."

By now, the throbbing in Milo's temple had subsided, but he could feel the dried blood when he grimaced. His hand had stopped hurting as well, and when he opened his hand to reveal his palm, he could only gape in surprise. There was blood covering his hand, and soaked through the cloth, but when he pulled the bloody bandage away, there was nothing but a thin pink line of scar tissue. No open wound. Was the rapid healing a result of the Devil Fruit? He knew Marco could instantly regenerate. But he also knew that Jozu couldn't.

As he stared at his hand, heat started spreading through his limbs, the rush of power surprising him. Now he was feeling something. He curled his hand into a fist again and allowed a cocky grin to spread over his face.

"You look awfully confident," the swordsman said.

"Do I?" Milo asked, taking a casual step forward. "Well, this is my first time fighting alone. Oh well. Mom always told me to try new things."

The marine with the gun laughed. "You still listen to your mommy?"

Milo narrowed his eyes at the mockery. "Well, considering she's strong enough to kick your ass, yes. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side."

"Is she here?" The swordsman asked, "Because if she is…" He lunged forward, his sword whipping forward with him, "I'm going to show her how weak her child is."

There was no resistance at the blade pierced through Milo's stomach, and the marine grinned in triumph. "Get a medical kit ready," He ordered. "We need to bring him in alive."

Milo stood still, his limbs locked and his eyes shut tight as he waited for the pain to start. He had never been stabbed before, but had read enough books to know what being stabbed was supposed to feel like. After a moment he opened his eyes, almost expecting to see the sword hovering in front of him. But when he looked down, he saw the hilt protruding from his stomach. He had been stabbed, but he wasn't feeling anything. No, he wasn't feeling any pain. A strange heat had flared up around the entry point. It wasn't a harsh burning. It almost felt pleasant.

At the same time, the third marine returned, a look of horror on his face. "Vegapunk's personal collection!" He shrieked. "He took one of the real ones! Not a synthetic!"

The swordsman seemed to realize his weapon had no effect on the teenager. Milo stepped backwards, off the sword. A tingling sensation started up in his abdomen, and he felt the skin and organs start to knit themselves back together.

"He ate the Flame Flame Fruit! The one Donflamingo gave Vegapunk! He's a logia!"

"Get the sea prism stone," The swordsman spat, glaring at Milo.

Milo suddenly felt self-conscious with all the eyes on him. He averted his eyes and tugged at the hole in his shirt. Whatever fruit he had eaten made him impervious to any kind of weapon. Logia. That's what the marine had said.

According to his parent's stories the captain's brother, his uncle, had the ability of a logia devil fruit. He was able to… Turn his body to fire. And the marine had said… Milo brought his hand up in front of him, and willed his fingertips to light. He felt heat spread from his core and up his arm, stopping at his hand. His fingertips started to glow a dark orange and started to spark.

It was enlightening, and gave him a new hope. With this new ability, maybe he would be able to catch up with his father.

He was distracted from his thoughts when the sword carrying marine's fist crashed into his cheek and sent him crashing into the ship's railing.

"What…" Milo began, grabbing his cheek with one hand and the railing with the other. He leaned on ir for support as pain seared in his cheek.

"You obviously aren't very smart," The marine said. "Don't think you're invincible just because you've eaten a Logia model Devil Fruit. Haven't you ever heard of Haki?" Milo glared, but the word started ringing bells in his head. It sounded familiar. "We can't let you go," The marine continued. "You see, that Devil Fruit you just ate was really hard to get ahold of. It belonged to a member of your crew. Fire Fist Ace."

"I know who Ace was," Milo said.

"Then you know how much of a demon he was." The marine said. "The son of the devil himself. Son of the first Pirate King."

"I've heard two very different accounts from other people." Milo bit out. His cheek felt like it was bruising.

"Well of course Marco would talk positively. Thing is though, Marco's a demon too." The marine snorted. "Who's the second?"

"My parents." Milo said. "They speak highly of him."

The marine laughed, "Your parents must have been terrible pirates to look up to someone like that."

Milo clenched his fists as the insult and leapt forward. He hit the marine's face, snapping his head back sharply. The marine shouted in pain, his broken nose going through more abuse. Milo didn't stop, crouching and whipping his leg out, catching his opponent's legs and sending him crashing to the deck.

The other marine shot a few bullets in Milo's direction, the majority of them missing. The few that hit Milo passed through his body and left no lasting damage.

"Damn it," The marine cursed, reloading. Milo aimed a kick in his direction, but he dodged it and let a few more shots fire. One grazed Milo's exposed arm, and Milo watched in fascination as the groove in his arm turned orange and sealed itself up. Footsteps behind Milo alerted him that the swordsman was back on his feet. He made no move as the blade was driven through his shoulder. He felt the flames flare up again, healing his skin constantly. He laughed.

But less than a second later he felt something cold clamp onto his wrist, and then the heat turned to pain. He clamped a hand over his shoulder, below the blade, and felt warm blood. Slowly, his mind turning hazy with pain, he turned his eyes to his shoulder. The blade was tipped with red blood. His blood. And it was dripping down his arm and soaking his shirt. On his wrist was a metal cuff. But it wasn't metal. It looked and felt like stone.

The blade was torn from his body, Milo shouting in pain as it left. He tried to focus and find the healing flames, but there was nothing. He collapsed, falling to his knees and bracing himself with his uninjured arm. The tip of the blade was pressed to Milo's neck, and he stiffened.

"You're just in time," The swordsman said, and Milo noticed that the third marine had returned. A boot crashed into Milo's head, sending him sprawling face first onto the deck. He gasped sharply, and then felt his arms being pulled behind him. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out as his newest injury was aggravated. The cuff was attached to his other wrist. Milo tried to struggle, but he couldn't find the strength to do it. As soon as the shackles were secured he was lifted and set on his feet. He tried to take a step, but his limbs felt heavy and useless.

"Put 'im at the bottom of the ship," He heard one of the marines say. "And make sure he doesn't escape this time!"

He groaned in pain as he was manhandled again, slung over someone's shoulder. He felt them descend stairs, and the light dimmed. A few more flights of stairs and then the walking evened out. He felt them stop, and then heard a door click open.

Blood rushed to his head as he was forced to his feet, and then shoved roughly inside the small room. He landed hard on his back and hands. The door slammed shut, leaving Milo in complete darkness. No porthole this time. He rolled onto his uninjured side in an attempt to get more comfortable. His injuries throbbed, sending pain through his body. As he closed his eyes, trying to calm down, he regretted not calling Marco for help when he had the chance.

* * *

Marco had warded off the scout ship, and after scaring it off, both ships had left in a hurry. He frowned, looking around. Usopp appeared beside him, pushing up his mask and letting it rest on his head. "Do you have any idea what scared them off? I went to the cliffs but they were leaving when I got there."

Marco shook his head, "I have no idea. Maybe it was us."

Usopp didn't answer, looking behind him when he heard footsteps. "Gert. What are you doing here?"

"The townspeople wanted to know what was going on," Gert said, giving Marco a wary look. "So I volunteered. Kaya and your children never went to the safe house. Are they alright? I don't think you realize how dangerous these pirates are."

"Kaya and the kids are fine," Usopp said. "I'd be more worried about the marines right now."

Gert glanced at Marco again, "But Usopp…"

Usopp ignored him, turning to Marco. "You said that they were here for the light, right? What do you think they're planning?"

"Maybe they're just researching it," Marco said, although he sounded hesitant when he said it. "It is a mysterious phenomenon. Milo said that the people on the other side were researching it too."

"I think there's more to it," Usopp said. "Whatever's going on, it's been happening for almost seventeen years. Luffy and Nami were the first people I know that were affected by it, but there could be more."

Marco's frown deepened. "A scientist on the other side said something about the two worlds fusing. He seemed pretty distressed. The technology over there seems more advanced too, so I can only assume they know more about this than we do."

Running a hand through his hair, Marco let out a frustrated sigh. "Well, Milo got pretty close with those scientists. He probably knows more about it than we do."

"Then we should find and ask him," Usopp said. He glanced around. "Is he here?"

"He's by the cliff. I told him to keep a watch out for any strange marine activity and then report back to me."

"Has he?"

Marci shook his head, "Not yet."

Usopp turned around, ignoring Gert. "Then he's probably still at the cliff. I can go get him if you want."

"That would be great," Marco said. "I need to deal with some stuff here."

Usopp nodded and started walking. Gert followed him, not fancying the idea of staying with one of the Emperors. "Usopp. Why are you friends with that pirate?"

"Because our crews formed an alliance," Usopp said simply, as they turned a corner. "Can you just drop it? None of you guys believe me, and I really don't feel like getting mocked. He's my friend. Leave it at that."

"But Usopp…"

"I said drop it," Usopp snapped. Gert closed his mouth with a snap, and Usopp pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've put up with years of mockery, and quite frankly, I'm getting sick of it. I'm a pirate, alright? Just leave it at that."

Gert nodded, slightly fearful of Usopp's expression. He looked murderous. He had never seen the man look like that before, and it scared him slightly. He knew Usopp when he was just a child, spitting out lies like there was no tomorrow. And even as an adult, what he said sounded insane. People might have believed he was a pirate if he had just been honest. But singing skeletons, giant whales, Nico Robin, an island in the sky, the Florian Triangle, and the Pirate King… It was just too much to believe, especially for a small town boy with a reputation for lying.

Usopp started moving again, and they walked in silence. As they reached the road leading to the cliff, Usopp froze, and then sprinted forward. Gert followed, coming up behind Usopp as he knelt to the ground and picked up something silver. "What is that?"

"It's Milo's." Usopp answered. He tucked it into his belt beside the Black Kobato and ran forward again. They both reached the cliff, and Usopp scanned the area quickly, finding the baby transponder snail on its side. He picked it up and replaced the receiver, the small creature's eyes falling shut. "And this belongs to him too." He tucked it into his pocket, letting it rest before using it again. He walked to the edge of the cliff and watched the small fleet of ships sail away. "He's not here."

"Where would a pirate go?"

"He's not really a pirate. Just travelling with them. And I don't know him very well, so I don't know where he could have gone." He pulled the transponder snail out and lifted the receiver. "Marco?"

"Usopp?"

"I found Milo's pole and transponder snail, but I don't see Milo." Usopp said.

"Shit," Marco growled, the snail taking on an angry expression. "Stay there. I'll be over in a few minutes."

* * *

Marco searched the area once he arrived, cursing the entire time. He didn't turn up. A few hours later the crew had turned up the entire island, finding the safe house and passing by it without a thought. Everyone reported negatively to Marco, and he ground his teeth in frustration. "Damn it. Where could he have gone?"

Usopp swallowed, looking nervous. "What if he's not on the island?"

"Why wouldn't he be?"

"The marines might have taken him…" Usopp said, watching Marco for a reaction. Marco's fists clenched and his face started turning red. Blue lames flickered across his knuckles and shoulders. Gert cowered behind Usopp at the phoenix's rage.

"Get back," Gert hissed at Usopp. "He's mad."

"He won't hurt innocent people," Usopp hissed back, watching as Marco calmed down.

"If we hurry we can catch the ships," Marco said. "Prepare to set sail. NOW!"

Haruta looked nervous, "That's impossible. It's been three hours. They've gotten too far for our ship to catch up."

Fire flared up again, and Marco's expression turned deadly. Gert backed up, and Usopp sighed. "Luffy's not going to be happy."

"His son was captured by the marines," Marco spat. "Of course he's not going to be happy. It'll be Ace all over again. I'm just glad that not many people know his parentage. If he keeps quiet, he won't be executed."

"But if he's Luffy's kid…" Usopp pointed out.

Marco smiled grimly. "He acts more like Nami, without her obsession with money." He turned to Namur, "Can you inform Navigation that we're going to be staying in East Blue for a while. We need to track down those ships."

Namur nodded and headed down to the harbor, and Usopp followed Marco as he headed down too. Most of the crew had boarded and were readying the ship for sailing. "Usopp, I'm going to take responsibility for Milo's capture. Wait here for Luffy, and tell him what happened, alright?"

Usopp nodded. "I will. Be careful, alright? I'll keep you informed if I hear anything about him."

"Thank you. Hopefully, we'll see each other again soon."

Usopp smiled, waving as the ship left the harbor and started sailing away. He turned around and started walking up the road, and Gert stared after him. "They didn't do anything to the town," He said.

"No, he didn't." Usopp said, "He wouldn't. SANJI! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

The blond blinked a few times. "Helping Kaya clean up. You can't expect a lovely lady to do that by herself. What did I miss?"

Usopp slammed his palm to his face and groaned.

* * *

"I SEE REVERSE MOUNTAIN!" Luffy shouted, drawing happy shouts from below. The kids ran to the railing to get a glimpse of it. None of them had seen it before. Luffy jumped down, landing beside Nami, who was fishing a spyglass from a box she had pulled out of the storage room.

"Daddy!" Bellemere shouted, jumping onto his back. "I can't see it yet!"

"Can't you?" Luffy asked, as she locked her arms around her neck. "We need to go higher then." He stretched his arm and grabbed the top of the lookout tower. Bellemere laughed as they shot up and Nami shouted at them to be careful and tossed up a spyglass. "See if you can spot Crocus!"

Bellemere saluted as Luffy caught the spyglass and handed it to Bellemere. She put it to her eye and Luffy showed her how to focus it. Once she had done that and began scanning the horizon. "That's a weird man," She said.

"Strange man?" Luffy asked.

"He's all white. And has really big hair."

"Can I see that?" Luffy asked, and Bellemere handed over the spyglass. He placed it to his eye and found Reverse Mountain. "Hey! It's Brook! GUYS! I SEE BROOK!"

The ship arrived at the mountain, and Brook looked ecstatic to see them. "Ah! My friends! I heard of your return! It fills my heart with happiness that you would come find me! Even if I do not have a heart! Yohoho!"

Bellemere stared at the skeleton, and then laughed. "You're a funny skeleton."

"It warms me to hear you say that, young miss."

"I'm Bellemere."

"I am Brook. Musician of the Strawhat Pirates."

Bellemere clapped her hands together excitedly and smiled. "You're cool. Are you coming with us?"

"That's right," Nami said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Kuina was circling the eight foot tall skeleton, inspecting him. Brook jumped when Kuina poked his backside with her sword. Tom looked curious and Blake stayed close to Robin.

Chopper laughed as Brook jumped again, the sword poked through his ribs, emerging in front of him. "It's been a while, Brook. Can you song us a song?"

Brook whipped out his violin, "Certainly. It does get lonely playing only for myself and Laboon."

"Who's Laboon?" Blake asked, his curiosity outweighing his shyness.

Franky smiled, "A whale."

"A whale?" Kuina asked, not sounding impressed.

Zoro laughed. "A whale that ate us the first time we crossed Reverse Mountain."

"Ate you?!" Bellemere exclaimed, looking between her parents.

Luffy laughed, "It ate the Merry."

Kuina turned to her father with a skeptical expression. "It ate your ship?"

"That's right," Nami said, answering for Zoro. "Is he nearby, Brook? I don't think they understand his size."

Brook laughed, and started playing a melody on his violin. A few minutes later, the surface of the water started frothing. Then, a mountain rose out of the water. Those who hadn't seen Laboon before gasped as seawater showered the group. A loud groan came from the mountain, and then it turned. An eye, as big as the Sunny, turned in their direction and most of the children backed away. Bellemere jumped up a few times, grinning madly. "It's so big! It's like a monster! SO COOL!"

"We'll stay a few nights here before crossing," Nami decided. "Take a break from sailing at full speed and figure out what we're going to do next. We have most of the crew now, and just need to find Usopp and Sanji. Milo's safe with Marco. We can afford to take a few days off."

"Are you sure it's safe with the monster?" Kuina asked.

"Laboon will not eat you," Brook assured. "I think we should have a party!"

Luffy cheered, backing up Brook. "Go get the food! And the meat!"

* * *

**So... Writers block... Ideas are helpful. Review or PM me with them! More ideas the faster the chapters will come!**


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm sorry about the late update! I hate writers block, and I can't bring my laptop or paper to work because I work at a pool and everything's wet. But here's the next chapter!**

* * *

_Damn it,_ Milo thought, as he slowly woke. It had been several days since he had been caught. Or what he assumed to be that. The room was constantly dark. Someone had come in shortly after his capture and treated his shoulder, and once in a while food was brought. Apart from that there was no way to tell how much time was passing. He spent the days drifting into and out of consciousness and trying to think up ways he could escape.

So far, nothing.

As more time passed, he began to get frantic. He remembered the conversation he had with the marines during the fight, and becoming an experiment didn't sound very pleasant. What would his father do? Milo had no idea. Maybe use his inhuman strength and just beat the door down? He had the use of his hands, but there were thin bands made of stone around his wrists. That was only a recent change. Apparently he was wanted alive and if his hands were behind him his shoulder wouldn't have healed properly.

He remembered hearing the medic complaining about the bands, calling them seastone and muttering about him being energy deficient and having the wound tale longer to heal than it should have taken. Milo could still feel it, a constant throbbing in his shoulder. The strange heat he had felt after he had eaten the bitter fruit was gone, and he doubted it would be returning until the bands were removed.

He ground his teeth together in frustration, turning his head sharply when the door opened. A marine shuffled in, placed a tray on the ground, shot Milo a sympathetic glance, and left the room.

Milo frowned at the marine's strange behavior. Usually, they wouldn't even look at him. He shuffled closer, peering through the gloom and dragged the tray closer. Thin broth, bread, and water. Nothing unusual. He ate it, slid the tray to the door, and took his usual position leaning against the far wall.

The next time the door opened, there were three marines standing outside. He had never seen them before, and panic rose in his chest as he realized they must have docked. One of the marines, over five feet taller than Milo stepped in and grabbed his arm, roughly dragging him to his feet.

Milo stumbled slightly and then regained his footing. After some prodding, the marines led him outside, where he stopped momentarily as the sunlight hit him. It was in the west. Almost night. Another prod and he was walking again, off of the ship, down a gangplank, and onto a dock.

The dock itself was impressive, the docks glossy and polished. Men and women in stiff blue and white uniforms walked around, many of them turning to Milo, who stood out with his dirt stained and torn clothing. The bands on his wrists were a giveaway too, indicating that he was a prisoner and most likely a pirate. He felt his cheats heat up slightly as he was stared at.

They arrived at the tall and imposing building a little bit later, and Milo was glad. His body was trembling from the strain. He was hungry and had almost no strength. He was led through the lobby, his shoes leaving grimy stains on the marble floor. They traversed through a hallway, then several more. And then a flight of stairs. Finally they stopped, and Milo almost pitched forward. He was stopped by a rough hand clapping on his shoulder and holding him upright.

"You will show upmost respect to Master Vegapunk," The marine ordered, and Milo didn't respond. The marine was in the middle of raising a fist to the door when it swung open inwards and revealed a man in a lab coat.

Milo was immediately reminded of a mad scientist. His dark hair was greying and stuck up in different directions. His nose was pointed and his face thin. He peered down over his bird like nose and examined Milo. "Is this the brat who ate my Devil Fruit?" His voice was high and pitchy.

One of the escorts nodded, "He is. You said you wanted him, so we brought him here."

"Excellent. What about the crew who let him eat it?"

"Awaiting your punishment."

Vegapunk nodded, spinning on his heel and marching into the room. Milo was jabbed again, and followed the scientist. It didn't look like a mad scientist's laboratory. It looked like an ordinary lab, similar to the ones at his high school. Vegapunk pointed at a chair, and Milo was shoved into it.

Despite the circumstances, Milo was glad for the break. His legs were numb.

"Now get out of here," Vegapunk ordered, addressing the marines and pointing at the door. They saluted and left, closing it behind them. "So, boy…" Milo gulped as Vegapunk addressed him directly. "You stole something of mine."

Milo swallowed again, trying to formulate an answer. He ended up letting out an embarrassing squeak, and Vegapunk closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And you hardly seem strong. What can you do?"

"… What?"

"What can you do?" Vegapunk repeated impatiently. "You look to be sixteen. You're a Whitebeard Pirate. What can you do?"

"… I don't know… And… I'm only travelling with them…"

Vegapunk let out a loud sigh, "So my fruit was wasted on a brat who doesn't know anything. I was informed your parents are pirates. Is that right?" Milo nodded hesitantly. "Will they come looking for you?"

"Probably." Milo answered honestly.

"Are they Whitebeards too?" Milo shook his head. "Well then, I don't think they pose much of a threat." He leaned forward. "But you are aware of the project. So I can't let you dilly-dally off."

"I don't know what it is," Milo said quickly. "I only heard the word once. That's it. I swear."

"No," Vegapunk shook his head. "You know about the other world."

Milo blinked. "Is that what the project's about?"

Vegapunk nodded, stepping back and started to pace. "Yes. The other world is much more advanced than this one. The technology is incredible. If I could get my hands on it…" He trailed off, grinning madly.

"Why tell me?" Milo asked.

"Because you're here," Vegapunk said simply. He turned back and locked gazes. "And I'm curious as to how much you know. You see, several of my officers spoke to the villagers on that island. They say your ship came through it. So you've been to the other world."

"Yeah…"

"So talk." Vegapunk demanded. "I want all the information you've got."

Milo stayed silent for a minute, "Why do you want their tech?"

Vegapunk blinked at the question, "Because I am a scientist."

"But why?"

Vegapunk's eyes narrowed slightly, "You have no right to be asking me that, boy."

"I have every right," Milo shot back. "If you're going to fight them or if you're going to start a war–"

"Shouldn't that make a pirate happy?" Vegapunk asked. "You're all into bloodshed and fighting."

"I'm not a pirate," Milo snapped. "I was just labeled one because of who my parents are."

"Not a pirate, but your parents are," Vegapunk said, tilting his head. "What do you call yourself then?"

"How the hell should I know?" Milo asked. "It was only coincidence that we came back here. But I guess it would have happened sooner or later. The worlds are fusing, after all."

Something sparked in Vegapunk's eyes. "What was that last bit?"

Milo snorted, "You wanted information, right? Well, the worlds are fusing. That's what Taylor said anyway. People coming through on both sides. A lot of people in my world are freaking out because of that. Starting a war would be the stupidest thing anyone could do."

"…Your world?" Vegapunk repeated slowly, and Milo realized his wording.

"Yes." He said, his voice surprisingly steady. "I was born there."

Vegapunk stared at him for a long minute, and the bound forward, pulling Milo to his feet, grabbing a key and unlocking the bands, and shaking his hand profusely. "This is amazing!" Vegapunk shouted. "Amazing! Incredible! I never thought I would meet someone from the other side! Tell me," He gushed, "What's the technology like? What government systems do they use? I want to know everything!"

"I…" Milo was momentarily stunned at Vegapunk's abrupt change. "Well…"

"Well, boy," Vegapunk said, recovering and interrupting Milo. "I know you're a pirate and everything, but would you consider an offer to work with me?" His eyes were gleaming as he stared at Milo expectantly.

The question startled Milo, who rubbed his wrists. The raw skin was already starting to heal, and the moment the stone bands had left his skin he had felt the surge of heat flare through his body.

"On one condition," Milo said slowly, wondering if what he was about to do was a wise choice. It would make him stronger, if Vegapunk agreed. But he would also be safe from the marines. Maybe he could also get a message to Marco. "I want to learn how to use these powers."

Vegapunk's face split into a wide smile. "What's your name, boy?"

"Milo."

"Well then, Milo," Vegapunk grinned, "Welcome."

Milo shook Vegapunk's outstretched hand, wondering if he was making a mistake.

* * *

The Straw-hats crossed into East Blue as soon as the flow of water changed, cheering. Brook had bid Laboon farewell, but promised to return as soon as he could. The whale didn't seem to mind their leaving as much this time.

Kuina tried not to act impressed, but she had never been this route before. Her and Zoro usually took the long way around, following the base of Reverse Mountain. It was rare that the flow of water changed and allowed people to cross the mountain back into the seas. But every other child was smiling and laughing, not hiding their impressed expressions as the ship began climbing.

"It's moving so fast!" Bellemere exclaimed. "It would be hard to move the rudder in this water."

Nami wrapped her arm around Bellemere's shoulders, "That's right. That's why we needed to enter the flow completely straight. Otherwise we would crash into the side of the cliffs."

Bellemere nodded solemnly and then pulled away from Nami and ran to the figurehead. Luffy spotted her from his perch on the lion's head and helped her climb over and join him.

The kids let out a cry of excitement as they passed through the clouds, and the sky above them turned from grey to blue. A few seconds later they reached the top of the mountain. The water lost its force in that moment, and Nami shouted the order to turn the rudder as far to the right as possible. Heading backwards up Reverse Mountain meant there were four possible choices to choose when descending. The path furthest to the right led to East Blue.

The ship shifted sharply, and turned to the right. The ship tottered precariously on the edge for half a second, and then started descending. Bellemere laughed, "It's like a roller coaster!"

"What's a roller coaster?!" Tom shouted, but his words were blown away by the wind. The only thing that could be heard were the screams of those who had never ridden Reverse Mountain before.

The plummet seemed to last forever, and then they hit the ocean with a mighty splash. There was a moment of silence as the waves stilled and the ship stopped rocking, and then a cheer went up. The kids seemed dazed, but they joined their parents soon enough.

"Is everyone alright?" Chopper asked, looking around.

"Yup," Luffy laughed. "We need to find Sanji first. He needs to cook us meat!"

Nami sighed, "The Baratie is a sea restaurant. It could be anywhere in this ocean. At least Usopp is on an island. They don't float away."

"We were at the Baratie a few months ago," Zoro said. "It wasn't very far from Syrup Village.

Chopper smiled, "I've always wanted to visit Syrup Village. It sounds so sweet."

"It isn't really," Kuina said. "The people are nice enough, but it's ordinary." Chopper's face fell, and Kuina hastily added, "But I'm sure Usopp could find something. His kids are sweet… Sorta."

That seemed to cheer Chopper up, and he went on his way. Kuina sighed in relief and Zoro laughed at her. "His kids are not sweet in the least. They act like you did when you were their age."

Kuina stuck her tongue out at him and grinned, running to the railing and stopping beside Tom. The waters didn't look much different from those of the Grand Line, but there was less worry in the air. The waves seemed smaller and the wind wasn't as harsh.

Excitement filled the air here though, the original Strawhat crew eagerly awaiting their arrival at Syrup Village. Especially Nami and Luffy. It had been almost two decades since they last saw their friends. And they had heard rumors over the past week that Marco and the Whitebeard Pirates were in East Blue currently. Milo was close, and he could meet more of the crew. He had only met Kuina so far.

Luffy hopped off the figurehead, landing on deck and dragging a protesting Bellemere behind him.

"But I wanted to stay there!"

"You can't be there by yourself." Luffy said, and then pointed at the lookout. "There's a better view from up there."

"Can I go up there?"

"Call us if you see anything, alright?"

Bellemere nodded, grinning. She darted to the ladder and vanished up it. Nami looked over at Blake, "Would you be willing to keep an eye on her?"

The boy nodded shyly, and Robin put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll come join you. It's nice and quiet up there."

"It might not be with Bella," Nami warned, and Robin waved it off.

"It will be quieter than down here."

Nami nodded, her friend having a point. Luffy put a hand on Nami's shoulder as Robin followed her son up the ladder. "Milo's in this sea."

"I know," Nami said, nodding and turning around to face him. "We'll catch up to Marco soon. His ship is big, so it will be easy to spot."

Luffy nodded, turning his head to look out over the ocean. So far, there was no island in sight, but Nami had said earlier that the first island they would come to would be Logue Town. After they had spotted that they would be able to navigate to Cocoyashi, Syrup, and Windmill Villages. She had also complained about how the log pose didn't work in the seas.

"Let's hope so," Nami said. "I've heard more rumors than just the Whitebeards. Vegapunk's been in the area too, doing something top secret for the government."

"Where'd you hear that?" Luffy asked, and Nami sighed irritably.

"Reading the newspaper," She replied. "You should try it sometime. You never did back in New York. It's a good thing your colleagues kept you updated." She paused for a minute, "I wonder how everyone else is doing."

"I'm sure they're fine," Luffy said. "Even if they're with the marines, they're not people to put those who are inexperienced in danger."

"Like we're doing?" Nami said quietly, glancing up at the lookout tower and then at the children she could see on deck. Luffy didn't say anything. He just took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

* * *

Milo definitely regretted teaming up with Vegapunk. He had done nothing with his powers the entire two weeks he had been with him. It was just physical training. When he complained, Vegapunk always went on a rant, using scientific words Milo couldn't care to try and understand. But he didn't dare cross Vegapunk himself. He was the only one keeping him safe from the marines around the base.

It was well known that he was a Whitebeard Pirate, even if he hadn't joined yet. No one here knew that. He often wondered what Vegapunk would do if he figured out Milo's parentage. Swallowing hard, he turned his mind back to running. He had always hated exercise, and he missed his phone and music.

Despite the hard work though, Milo was learning a lot. Both about the marines and their views on pirates, and his parent's reputations. His curiosity seemed to excite Vegapunk, because the man never hesitated to answer a question. But in fairness, Vegapunk loaded Milo with questions as well. His favourite topic was weaponry, which Milo didn't know much about.

He told the scientist about the weaponized aircrafts and land based vehicles that were used in the World Wars. He seemed to like the description of the tanks. Milo also described the atomic bombs and nuclear weapons, describing their effects in detail and hoping to scare Vegapunk into giving up whatever he had planned.

But if anything, it seemed to encourage him even more. The sadistic smile the man wore scared him.

"We'll take over that world," Vegapunk said one day, as Milo was trying to make it through a set of push-ups. "That way we can have the power to eliminate all those who threaten us." The statement startled Milo enough that his arms gave out and he face planted on the floor. He shoved himself up and stared at Vegapunk with wide eyes. "Don't worry," Vegapunk said, noting Milo's expression. "As long as you remain loyal to us, you'll be fine."

_But I'm not,_ Milo thought, but didn't say anything out loud. He just nodded slowly and returned to his push-ups. Vegapunk continued prattling on about their tactical strategies and possible plans that had been set in motion. _This man's too trusting, _Milo thought. Maybe…

"What's The Project?" He asked hesitantly, when he finished his set.

Vegapunk narrowed his eyes dangerously, "Where did you hear that?"

"One of the marines that captured me mentioned it," Milo told him.

Vegapunk shook his head, a scowl decorating his face. "Those goons can't be trusted."

"So what is it?" Milo persisted.

"You don't need to know," Vegapunk said sharply, before ordering Milo to start running laps. Milo sighed as he forced himself to his feet, his arms burning. He flexed his fingers and sent a surge of heat through his arms, turning the tips of his fingers red. The exercise was helping him control the flames more, even if he hated it. He started running, not wanting to end up on Vegapunk's bad side.

* * *

It was a couple of days later, when Vegapunk dragged Milo along on an expedition did something interesting happen.

As the ship departed the Naval Base, Vegapunk showed Milo several photographs. "Are these the arrow plains that you were talking about? Those fighters?"

"No," Milo answered, plucking the pictures from Vegapunk's fingers. "This looks like a passenger aircraft, It carries people, not weapons."

Vegapunk looked mildly disappointed. "Shame. We could have used those weapons. Or the arrow plane itself."

"Airplane," Milo corrected. "Were there any survivors?" The plane in the picture looked relatively intact. It was missing half of its left wing and its tail, but the cabin looked undamaged.

"Who knows," Vegapunk said. "That thing's been there for years, according to the locals. It sounded like one of your world's machines, so I thought I would investigate it."

Milo grimaced and handed back the pictures, just as someone ran down from the deck and shouted "CAPTAIN!"

"What is it?" Vegapunk asked, looking irritated at the interruption.

The man cast a wary glance at Milo before turning back to Vegapunk. "It's… It's here!"

"What is? Be specific!" Vegapunk demanded.

Milo frowned, glancing at the open hatch. There was a familiar buzz in the air. "It's the light," He answered for the sailor, who nodded frantically.

"WHAT?!" Vegapunk shouted, shoving past the sailor and sprinting up the stairs.

Milo helped the disgruntled sailor to his feet before following the mad scientist up the stairs and into the open air. Vegapunk was frozen at the top of the stairs, staring with awe at the blinding white halo that hovered over the ship.

"Captain!" Someone shouted. "What do we do?!"

Vegapunk looked at Milo, "Well?"

"It's impossible to out sail," Milo said, shielding his eyes from the glare and looking up at the ring. "I've tried that before. It follows you. The best thing to do is hold on, and once we're there find land. There should be a way back near New York. If we can get there, it'll be fine."

"Is that what you did last time?" Vegapunk asked, as the sailors within earshot grabbed onto something stable.

Milo nodded, "This will be my fourth time through. I really hope we end up in New York again."

"Is that the name of your home island?"

"Sorta."

The halo descended, and Milo grabbed the railing tightly. The ship rocked back and forth a bit as the waves were disturbed, but apart from that it was a smooth transition. Milo blinked a few times as his vision cleared, and then looked around. There was nothing but ocean around them.

"Are we on the other side?" Vegapunk asked, and Milo turned to face him.

"I think so. We end up in a different place each time. I just hope we're near North America."

"Why would it matter where we were?" A nearby sailor asked, and Milo noted the log pose he wore.

"Political reasons," Milo answered, and gestured to the log pose. "Can I see that?"

When the sailor hesitated, Vegapunk snatched it from him and handed it to Milo. "Why do you need it?"

"Because here, log poses point north," Milo said. "Mom's did, so I'm assuming yours will too. It just has to set, right?"

"But it will only send us to the nearest island." The sailor protested.

"We don't have as many islands here," Milo said. "We have continents. And our magnetic field covers the entire planet. So it will point north like a compass does. See? It's settled." The log pose had been spinning wildly before, but had slowed and stopped, pointing towards the port side. "I would bet that we're in the Atlantic Ocean. That's where my parents ended up when they came over, if their stories are true. Gaddy, or whatever his name was, his ship ended up in this ocean. And Marco's ship ended up in this ocean. I'm hoping we're just a bit further from the coast."

"So where do we go?" Vegapunk asked.

Milo examined the log pose, holding it in front of him. "We need to head west to get to the east coast." He pointed towards the stern. "So that way."

No one moved. Vegapunk crossed his arms. "Well? What are you waiting for? Set the heading and let's head out!"

There was a reluctant response, but soon the ship was bustling with activity. Vegapunk turned to Milo, an unsettling grin plastered to his face. The teenager remembered his earlier words and shivered.


	23. Chapter 23

**I'm sorry! I've had a busy summer! But I've get the next chapter written too. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

The ship was met with motor boats, much like the last time Milo had encountered his world's police. Milo hid himself below deck, not wanting to talk. He felt when the ship began to move, hearing the water flow past the metal hull. He also heard the sailors shouts of 'Land Ho' when land came into view.

"How many people are aboard?" A strong voice asked, and Milo peered over the hatch from his seat on the stairs.

"Twenty?" Vegapunk said, looking unsure.

"Twenty one sailors and two passengers," A sailor supplied for him.

It's Book, Milo realized, recognizing the man. The coast guard looked board as he questioned the sailors and looked around the deck. "Anything unusual we should know about? Weapons? Special passengers? Intentions?"

Vegapunk shook his head as one of the sailors muttered, "A pirate."

"You're carrying a prisoner?" Book asked, hearing the remark.

"He's with me," Vegapunk said, shooting a glare at the man who spoke. The man backed away with a guilty look on his face.

"So I'm assuming you're in charge," Book said, directing his attention back to Vegapunk.

"I am," Vegapunk replied, standing up straighter. From his vantage point, Milo could see the backs of his heels rising in an attempt to look taller. He could also feel the tension between the two males and debated showing himself. Another New Yorker stopped the potential fight by whispering something to Book, who nodded.

"Alright Sir, please follow our boat to the docks. I'm going to have to ask you to not attack the two other ships currently docked there. Both of them are from your side, and both belong to pirates."

Book's words startled Milo. There were more pirates here? He wondered who they belonged to. Vegapunk nodded at Book, who then climbed down the side of the ship. The sound of revving engines was heard. The ship started moving again, and soon enough, the sounds of a harbor could be heard. He left the confines of the lower deck and joined Vegapunk, who was marveling over the size of the buildings surrounding the docks.

"Absolutely incredible!" He said in awe. "Just think of what we could do with this kind of technology! You have to show me how to use it." The last sentence was an order, Vegapunk looking at Milo expectantly for an answer.

Milo nodded, but he knew he didn't want to. The man was crazy, and Milo wanted no more association with him. But Milo was relieved that he had been correct in his assumption they were in the Atlantic Ocean. Now that they were in New York, Milo could start thinking of a plan to get away.

The pirate ships were two docks over, but still in plain sight. He didn't recognize either of them. He briefly wondered if they would be willing to help him. He didn't bother asking Vegapunk. The man seemed lost in his own world. Instead, Milo let the man sit by himself at the bow and talk to himself.

Milo took a seat at the starboard railing and stared out over the city. There weren't as many reporters standing around anymore. Just two small crews. The hype about another world must have died down since he had last been there.

A school bus pulled up, and Milo almost laughed. They must have gotten used to it if they were giving school tours. Kids started filing out, Milo ducking down as some of them looked up. They looked like teenagers.

"Vegapunk, Sir," A sailor said, approaching the man. Milo looked over. "There are people requesting a… tour of the ship. They claim that it's a learning experience."

Vegapunk's head darted to the side, "A learning experience huh. Well, I like learning. Let them on."

The sailor nodded, walking away. Milo saw Book standing at the railing, a ladder behind him, and turned his back on the man. He really didn't want to be questioned. Or have his identity compromised. Looking over the railing, at the docks, he tried to judge the distance. Vegapunk's ship was about six meters tall, but part of that length was in the water. And then the dock cut off even more. So he was about four meters from the dock. At least, he hoped he was four meters from the dock. If he wanted to get out of here, he would have to jump. Maybe he could pull an Iron Man and use his fire to slow him down as he fell. But he shook the idea from his head. He did have more control over his abilities than before, but he was still only a beginner when using them.

He looked back at Book and the sailor, noting that another person had joined them. A person Milo recognized. It was his history teacher. The one who was obsessed with current events.

Students began appearing over the ladder, the teacher and Book helping them over the railing. Milo recognized a few of them, having seen them in the halls or library. They were in the next grade. He tuned out their chattering, hoping they would ignore him.

No such luck. He probably should have realized it, knowing teenagers.

"Hey there." A voice said behind Milo, and he grimaced.

"What?" Milo ground out, hoping his tone would drive him away.

"Are you like, a marine in training or something? 'Cause you look too young to be with them."

Milo looked to his right, where one of the students was standing. "I'm… a special case. Definitely not a marine."

"No? So what are you doing here? I was told everyone here were marines. Oh. And a pirate. But I'm assuming the pirate is in the brig or whatever."

"There's no brig on this ship," Milo said. "It's a research vessel. And I'm the pirate they're talking about."

The student raised his eyebrows. "You still look too young."

"It's a family thing," Milo shot back. "My sister is twelve, and a pirate."

"Right,"

"I'm serious. I haven't met the entire crew yet, but I was also told there was a talking reindeer, a cyborg, an ex-assassin, and a living skeleton. I've also met the womanizing cook and the sharpshooter, along with the swordsman slash ex pirate hunter slash first mate. And his daughter."

The student laughed, "Well, that would make for an interesting story."

Milo laughed too, "Wouldn't it? Before I was caught, I was travelling with the Whitebeard Pirates. They've come here before."

"Yeah. I remember seeing them on the News. That guy, Book, or whatever his name is, said that the Captain of that ship could turn himself into a phoenix. Is that right?"

Milo nodded, turning his head sharply as Book walked past. Brushing some of his hair into his eyes, he pulled the hood of his jacket up. "Did he mention the fishman?"

"Said something about merfolk." The student answered. "By the way, my name is Jack. What's yours?"

"Milo," Milo said. Then, lowering his voice, he said, "Monkey D. Milo."

"Why're you whispering?"

Milo shrugged. "Because they don't know who I am. My parents are famous pirates, and I'm worried that if the marines find out they'll use me to get to them."

"You have famous parents? How was that growing up?"

Milo smirked. "I didn't know. I grew up in New York. In fact, I went to your school, before it vanished. Once we were on the rand Line did I find out my father was the king of the pirates."

Jack stared at Milo for a long minute. "You were one of the people at the school!" He hissed, loud enough for several other students to look at him. "And… Pirate King? You were the guy who shouted at the other marine ship?"

Milo nodded, stiffening as he saw Book walking over. "Anyway, I should probably get going."

"Where?" Jack asked, confused.

"There's no way I'm hanging out with a crazy madman. The only reason I'm alive right now is because I ate one of his Devil Fruits. I'm from here, so I'll find one of my friends. Besides, those shifts have a bad habit of finding me. I'm sure I'll be back in that world before long. See ya!"

With that, Milo vaulted over the side of the ship. As he plummeted, instinct took over. Holding out his hands, jets of flame burst from his palms and slowed down his fall. Landing, he closed his hands, cutting off the flow of fire, and started running up the dock. Sparing a glance back, he saw Jack's surprised expression. Sparing a wave, he darted through the crowds and allowed himself to blend in.

He heard Vegapunk's enraged howls from the ship, and he quickly shed his marine issued jacket. Tossing it in the water beside him, he started running. Leaving the docks behind, he heard the wail of sirens. The sound was unfamiliar to him, after hearing waves and the creak of ships for the past few months. He ducked into an alley, shivering in only an old vest and black shorts Marco had given him.

He exited the other side of the alley, onto a familiar street. He smiled to himself, walking to a crosswalk and speeding across. He got several strange looks, wearing shorts and a vest in this weather, but he didn't care. If he focused, he could draw out the heat in his core and keep himself warm. And if anyone asked, he could claim to be running. He had seen people in shorts in the dead of winter running down his street.

He was close to his house right now. He could sneak in and grab some less suspicious clothes. And maybe some money. All he had on him was a few hundred beri, and they didn't take that currency here. Shoving his hands in his pocket, he also noted that he still had his spyglass. His father had given it to him the first day of their voyage. Drawing it out, he frowned when he say a crack across the main lens. It must have happened when he wrestled with the marines back on the sharpshooter's island. What was his name again? Uso-something?

He couldn't remember off the top of his head. Carefully placing it back in his pocket, he started jogging. Only six blocks until he reached his house. That wasn't as far as Vegapunk made him run each day. His body was itching to move.

Giving in, he sped up, sprinting now. The houses around him blurred as his feet pounded against the pavement. Almost forgetting he was back in New York, he passed his house and had to turn back. The yard looked overgrown, but that was expected. How many months had it been? His seventeenth birthday was coming up soon.

He dug around in his garden for a few minutes before remembering that he hadn't bothered to lock the door behind him the last time he was here with the police chief. That in mind, he walked up to his front door and opened it.

"Hold it!" Someone shouted from the street.

"Malcolm?" Milo asked, turning around and looking at the source of the voice. The teenager in question dropped his bag and stared slack jawed at the pirate. "Malcolm!" Milo repeated, a smile growing on his face. "It's you!"

"Mi–Milo?" Malcolm asked, his face pale. "But… That's impossible! You… And Andy… And Tim… You guys are all gone."

"I came back," Milo said, hopping off his front step and down his driveway. "I… I have a lot of explaining to do, I guess. But first, I need to change. Want to come in?"

Malcolm nodded, still looking shocked. He picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, following Milo up the empty driveway and into the house.

"Fair warning," Milo said, nodding towards the fridge, "Don't open that. I'll be back in ten minutes. I need to shower, and grab some clean clothes." He paused. "Never mind. No water. No electricity. I'm just going to grab some clean clothes and money. Be down in a couple of minutes."

Malcolm nodded while Milo went upstairs to his room. Nothing had changed since he had last been there, but it looked unfamiliar. Grabbing an old overnight bag, he stuffed several changes of clothes inside, along with his secret stash of money. Entering his parent's room next, he dug through his mother's clothes until he found her secret stash as well, adding that to his own. They wouldn't mind. He hoped.

Heading back downstairs, he saw Malcolm examining the pile of school material on the counter. "You want to come to my place?" he asked. "Mom won't mind. She'll be glad to know that your mom's alright."

Milo smiled gratefully. "That would be great. I was going to stay at a hotel, but I'm not sure they'd take me looking like this," He gestured to himself. His shirt was crusted with salt, and he was stained with dirt and sweat.

"Do you need anything else?"

Milo shook his head, "Most of my stuff is back on the Moby Dick II or the Thousand Sunny, and the toothbrushes are moldy."

Malcolm shuddered, "You can use mine then." They left the house, Milo following Malcolm up the street. "So…" Malcolm began hesitantly, looking at Milo, who was walking beside him. "How did you get back, anyway? I've been watching the News, and it's been talking about these shifts, and energy spikes and all the like. There was a marine ship that came through this afternoon. The school announces what happens."

"What school are you going to now?" Milo asked, ignoring the question for the moment.

"St. Andrews." Malcolm said. "Well?"

Milo sighed, "I was on the marine ship. It may sound crazy, but my parents are pirates from that world. I've got a bounty too, or so I was told. I haven't actually seen the wanted poster yet."

"What about the others?" Malcolm asked. "Andy and Tim. Are they doing alright?"

"As far as I know," Milo said. "I haven't seen them since I left with Mom and Dad on their ship. But they're in the care of the marines, and most of the lower ranked ones are trustworthy. At least that's what Dad says. To be fair though, he hates marines."

Malcolm laughed, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Alright," Milo said, thinking. "Remember the adventure stories Dad would tell us when we were younger?"

Malcolm nodded, "We would always have sleepovers at your house just so we could hear them."

"They're true. Mom and Dad are pirates, and the stories they told were of their adventures."

"No way."

"It's true," Milo insisted. "I've met the swordsman. He does have green hair. And I've also met the sharpshooter with the long nose, and the womanizing cook."

"That's it?"

"Well," Milo scratched at the back of his head. "I got separated from them a week after we left. I've spent most of my time with Marco and the Whitebeard Pirates. Oh! And I had an uncle. He was a Whitebeard Pirate too."

"You met your uncle?" Malcolm asked.

Milo shook his head. "He's dead. Died when Dad was about my age."

"Oh," Malcolm said. "So…" He sounded awkward, unsure of what to say.

"Marco's told me about him. He was in the stories too. Fire Fist."

"The guy who could light himself on fire," Malcolm recalled. "He was a cool character. I didn't know he died though. He just stopped appearing in the story."

"Me neither. Mom told me they kept that out of the stories because it was hard on Dad. They were close. I was supposed to be named after him, but they changed it at the last minute."

"What was his name?"

"Ace. Portgas D. Ace. That's what Marco told me. Mom just said his name was Ace."

"Ace would have been the coolest name," Malcolm muttered, as they turned onto his street. "So what happened?"

"Dunno. There was a war, and all I know is that's where Dad got his scar."

"That big one on his chest," Malcolm asked. "I've always wondered. Is that all you know?"

"Yeah." Milo nodded.

They approached Malcolm's house. Walking in, Malcolm shouted for his mother before turning to Milo and telling him to make himself at home. Milo placed his bag on the kitchen counter as Malcolm emptied out his school bag.

"I almost forgot about school," Milo commented, earning a laugh from Malcolm.

"Must be nice."

Milo shrugged, kicking off his sandals and placing them by the door. "I've been learning a lot about ships. Marco's been showing me around the rigging. I can load and shoot a cannon now, if you'll believe it."

"You'll have to show me," Malcolm said, as his mother walked into the room. "Hi Mom. This may be a bit of a surprise, but Milo came back from the other world. Can he stay here? If you don't mind."

"Hi, Mrs. Weaver," Milo greeted.

The woman's reaction was similar to Malcolm's. Her eyes widened and the basket of laundry on her hip fell to the ground. "Milo Monkey!" She exclaimed. "You're filthy! Of course you can stay. Go have a shower and get cleaned up. And bring those clothes down. I'll wash them right away. Go! Off with you!"

Milo was ushered into the nearest bathroom, barely having time to grab a fresh change of clothes.

The shower felt heavenly, and the water ran brown for the first five minutes. He scrubbed off all the salt and grime that had accumulated. There were showers on the Moby Dick II, but they were communal and he was reluctant to use them. Finally feeling clean, he dried off and changed into his jeans and long sleeved shirt, bunching up his borrowed clothes and re-entering the kitchen.

Mrs. Weaver and Malcolm were waiting for him in the kitchen. "You lost your tan!" Malcolm exclaimed.

"It was all dirt," Milo said, as Mrs. Weaver took Milo's old clothes from him and vanished into the basement. "I've missed being clean."

"What do you plan to do?" Malcolm asked, shoving aside his math textbook. "I mean, your parents are in the other world, and you can't ask those marines for help, considering you're a pirate. What about going to the police?"

"They know I'm a pirate. I kinda told off the police chief."

"Wow." Malcolm said. "I never thought you would do that. You're the kind of person to go along with everyone else."

"I know," Milo said. "But I've been on my own for how long? I've given up trying to go with the flow, since the normal there isn't the normal here. My god, the people on that ship were crazy. And even the people Dad knows. Zoro's this extremely intimidating guy, with a crazy teenage kid. And on Marco's ship… Haruta. She's absolutely insane. She wears these ruffled collars and…" Milo shuddered.

"You had me at ruffled collars," Malcolm said, shuddering as well. "I almost want to meet her."

"Apparently she and my uncle used to play pranks on each other. They had a bit of a rivalry."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything pursuing that topic. "How much do you remember about math?"

"Nothing," Milo said immediately. "Absolutely nothing."

Malcolm groaned as he pulled his math textbook closer. "Lovely."

Mrs. Weaver laughed at her son's expression, returning to the kitchen. "I've set up the guest room for you, Milo. It's great that you're back. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, ma'am," Milo said politely. "And my parents are fine too."

"What about your sister?"

"She's adapted very well. But I haven't seen her in months."

Mrs. Weaver nodded understandingly. "You must be tired. Don't hesitate to head to bed. Are you going to enrollee in the local high school, or wait and see what happens?"

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'll wait." Milo said. "I want to go back, find Marco or my parents. And stay the hell away from Vegapunk." He leaned his elbows against the table. "I also want to find out more about the two worlds. Last time I was here one of the scientists, Taylor, I think, said the two worlds were fusing. If that's happening, I don't have to worry about getting back. But it also brings new problems."

"Like?" Malcolm questioned.

"The marines. From what I've heard from my parents the marines are dead set on controlling everything. They don't like to be defied. So if we introduce them to the US Government, there's going to be trouble. And the pirates. Tons of pirates out there. And they're vicious."

"Aren't you a pirate?" Malcolm asked. "You said your parents were pirates."

"Yeah, but Dad's a different case. He's the King of the Pirates. He likes adventure more than plundering. It's Mom who likes the treasure, but she's pretty good about not stealing from people. No, it's the pirates that like killing. Whenever they're set with a challenge, they won't hesitate to cut down anyone in their way."

"So if the problem's just the pirates, we can handle that." Malcolm said.

Milo shook his head. "If it turns into a war, the pirates might have the advantage."

"And what's that?"

"Devil Fruits."

"What are those?"

"Hell if I know. All I can tell you is that if you eat one, you get super awesome powers. Like Fire Fist in Dad's stories. But there are more out there. Dad has one, and three others in his crew do too. A lot of people in Marco's crew do too. And since they're both pirate crews, I'm assuming many other crews have them too. I've heard rumors. The Kidd Pirates, their captain has control over metal things. And he and Dad have an old grudge against one another."

Malcolm's expression turned serious. His brow creased slightly as he processed Milo's words, twirling his pencil in his fingers. "Well then, shit just might go down."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Milo said, tapping the table lightly. "I know about those who have Devil Fruit abilities. I know they can't swim, and the ocean dulls their strength. Something called Sea Prism Stone does something too. I'll keep an eye on the News for now, see if anything happens."

"My Uncle had one too. From what Vegapunk's told me, they grow in the wild. If a person eats one, they get the abilities. But once they die, it regrows."

"That's strange," Malcolm said.

"Yeah. He said it tunes in with the user's nervous system, and then makes changes to the body from there. The best one is the logia. It turns the users body into whatever they've eaten… Well, it's hard to describe. My Uncle had the logia flame one, and his body could turn into fire."

"That sounds dangerous," Malcolm commented.

Milo shrugged, "Could be useful. Since Dad's a famous guy back there, because if it gets out I'm his kid, I'm going to be targeted."

Malcolm stared at Milo as he closed his hand. "You've really changed," He said.

"Have I?" Milo didn't sound surprised. "I suppose that comes with what I've been through." He laughed. "But I suppose that's alright. I'll get used to it soon enough. What I want to do right now is catch up on the video games I've missed. I've been waiting for the next Tomb Raider to come out. I suppose it's out now."

Malcolm grinned, closing his textbook with a snap and grabbed Milo's wrist. "Well, let me show you how to play."

Milo grinned, matching Malcolm's as he was dragged into their den. He grabbed a controller, familiarizing himself with it before the game started. It was good to be back. As he and Malcolm played, Milo was able to shove the nagging thoughts to the back of his mind for the time being.


	24. Chapter 24

When the Thousand Sunny was spotted in Syrup Village's port, Usopp sprinted past the startled messenger and nearly started crying when he saw an orange haired woman standing on the dock, looking around.

"NAMI!" Usopp shouted, and Nami turned to him, a huge smile on her face.

"Usopp!" She returned, throwing her arms around his neck. "It's been years! Luffy! Get your ass down here! Bella! Never say that word, and get down here too!"

Usopp pulled away slightly, taking in her face. She looked almost the same as she did the day she vanished. Small wrinkles at the corners of her mouth and eyes were the only evidence of aging. When Luffy jumped down, he joined in on the group hug. He hadn't changed much either. A bit of stubble covering his chin and a gold earring, but other than that, he was the same Captain who had vanished.

"It's been a while," Luffy laughed. "How have you been doing?"

"I've been great," Usopp said. "Sanji is here too, but I don't think he's heard the news yet."

"Sanji's here too?" Luffy said. "Awesome! He can cook us meat."

Usopp laughed, watching as the other members of his crew started climbing down. Kuina waved idly, and she was the only child he recognized. Franky waved down, sandwiched between a dark haired boy with an uncanny semblance to Robin, and an older blue haired boy. An orange haired girl was also peering over the edge, her grin matching Luffy's perfectly.

"Come on down," Luffy called up. A loud 'Yohohoho!' echoed over the ship as Brook jumped over and landed gracefully on the dock.

"Ah, Usopp. It is good to finally see you. Even though I have no eyes. Yohoho!"

Usopp actually laughed, "I've missed you guys."

Robin descended the ladder gracefully, while Franky creaked as he jumped. Luffy reached up and grabbed the orange haired girl around the waist. She laughed as Luffy pulled her down and set her gently on the dock. The blue haired boy followed Franky's example, jumping, but the other dark haired boy climbed down using the ladder. Chopper appeared a few moments later too, bombarding Usopp with questions.

Usopp promised to tell him of his solo adventures when they were all back at the house. "Sanji works at the diner currently. I'm not sure he's heard the news yet, so let's go surprise him. Please don't scare any of the townspeople. We've had a fake Zoro, the Whitebeards, and now you. They've had a trying month."

"The Whitebeard's were here?" Nami asked.

Usopp nodded, "Met a kid. Milo. He said he's your son?"

Luffy nodded, kneeling down so Bellemere could scramble up onto his back. "He's been travelling with Marco and his crew. Are they still around? It would be hard to miss their ship in East Blue."

Usopp grimaced, and Nami's motherly instincts went into overdrive. "Something happened to him," She said.

Usopp nodded, "We had a run in with the marines. They were investigating a strange light. Your son said something about being from a different world?"

Luffy nodded, his features hardening at the thought of his son was in danger. "We thought the marines might have an idea what was going on. Did they take him?"

"We think so," Usopp said. "He was watching one of the ships. Marco told him to call if anything went wrong. Well, we found the transponder snail and his weapon. But no Milo and no marine ship."

"What about Marco?" Luffy asked.

"He's following the marine ships," Usopp said. "He feels responsible for the boy."

"I should hope so," Nami said darkly.

Luffy put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Bellemere had gone quiet, as had the rest of the crew. They passed the diner they had eaten at when they first met Usopp, and the sharpshooter leaned his head in. "Sanji! They're here!" They heard Sanji shout something back. Usopp sighed. "The crew!"

That must have caught his attention because there was a loud crash in the diner, and a moment later the blond forced open the door. "NAMI!" He shouted. "ROBIN! My ladies have returned!"

"Sanji!" The owner of the diner shouted. "You're not finished!"

"I quit!" Sanji shouted back, tearing off the apron he was wearing and tossing it back through the doorway.

"You just can't quit!" The owner shouted. "If Usopp is telling lies again, just tell him to go away."

"Shut it, you old geezer." The man came out, stopping short when he saw the crew standing there. He dropped the apron Sanji had thrown back into the building. He turned to Zoro, and then Luffy. "I quit," Sanji repeated menacingly.

"Pleasure working with you," The old man said, backing into the restaurant and slamming the door closed.

"Well he was pleasant," Nami said, and Sanji melted at her feet.

"Oh, my Angel has returned from heaven to grace me with her presence." Nami smiled slightly, but worry was still etched in her face. Luffy's too, despite his enthusiastic demands for meat. "I haven't seen you for almost seventeen years, and you still act the same," Sanji grumbled. "Always meat." His expression softened when he noticed Nami's worried look. "He'll be alright," He said, guessing what she was thinking about. "If he's anything like you, he can take care of himself. He's also got the fact that no one knows him and Luffy are related. As long as he keeps his mouth shut, he'll be fine. He'll be wanted alive, since he supposedly knows about that light."

"You're right," Nami said, running a hand over her face.

"He's smart," Luffy said. "He'll think of something."

"You're right," Nami repeated, whispering. Bellemere climbed down from Luffy's back and grabbed her mother's hand. Nami brightened as Luffy took Bellemere's other hand. To any other eye, they would look like an ordinary family.

"Anyway," Usopp said, "We should get to my house. We can talk and plan there. And you can meet my kids."

* * *

Milo's fingers were sore, but he didn't care. The screen was bright in the dark room as she moved his character across the screen. Malcolm's eyelids were drooping, and his own controller had fallen into his lap. Two hours ago they had given up on Tomb Raider and switched back to the original Mario, on orders from Malcolm's mother. The reason for that was sleeping on the couch behind them. Malcolm's little brother, Cameron.

The teenage pirate turned off the console and TV before lying back on the carpet and closing his eyes.

He had trouble sleeping that night, used to the sounds of water sliding past the hull and all the creaking and groaning of the ships he had been on. It was also on nights that he couldn't sleep that he began missing his parents and sister. During the day he was kept busy. With Marco he was learning his way around a ship, how to fight, and all the other necessities one needed to know when travelling on a pirate ship. With Vegapunk, he was learning breath control, focus, and training. Either way, he collapsed into his sleeping quarters at night and was usually asleep within minutes.

But today he didn't do any of that. Today he ran a bit, but not anywhere close to what he would usually run. He sat around on the deck of the marine research vessel and chatted with a former schoolmate. And now he didn't even have a familiar environment to help lull him to sleep. He sighed, listening to Malcolm snore.

The next morning, he stumbled into the kitchen after having woken up in the living room beside Malcolm. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around, noting Mrs. Weaver smiling at him. He returned the offered morning greeting and sat at the table.

"Sleep well?" She asked.

Milo shook his head, "Not really. It's hard getting used to a place I'm not used to."

"I would assume it would be like being at home," Mrs. Weaver said. "You and Malcolm would always fall asleep playing video games."

Milo smiled, "Yeah. I remember. It's just… I've gotten used to living on the water."

Mrs. Weaver hummed with understanding. "Would you be willing to go and wake him up? He does have school today."

Milo nodded, pushing himself up and heading back into the living room. "Malcolm. Malcolm. Malcolm. Malcolm."

"What," Malcolm groaned, rolling over. His cheek had the pattern of the carpet imprinted into it. Milo felt his own cheek, felling the misshapen skin there too.

"Your Mom said you have school."

Malcolm let out a pained groan before rolling onto his back and opening his eyes. "I had been hoping she would let me stay home and catch up with you."

Milo laughed, "Not even my Mom would let me do that. And she never went to school."

"She didn't?" Malcolm asked, sitting up. Milo offered a hand and hauled him to his feet.

"No. She learned navigation through books in her village. Dad didn't either. He was… Homeschooled? No, I guess not."

"Your Dad wasn't even homeschooled?"

"His father was the leader of the Revolutionary Army. And he was raised by Mountain Bandits."

"You're shitting me," Malcolm said.

"My Great-Grandfather told me," Milo said, "Before encouraging me to attack one of the marines under his command."

"No, you're really shitting me."

"It's the truth," Milo said. "I'm serious. If you meet him, ask him. His name is Garp."

Malcolm just shook his head, "It's too early to think about that. Hey, do you want me to tell Benny and Harvey about you coming back?"

Milo shook his head, "Not until Vegapunk leaves. I don't want him tracking me back here."

"Understandable," Malcolm yawned. "So… He'll be heading back in a couple of days. That's about how long each ship stays. Those other ships are going back today."

"Why wait?"

"Gotta wait for the energy to re-gather and create a malleable… whatchamacallit. I don't know the science behind it."

"That's good," Milo said.

"Mhm," Malcolm said, walking past Milo and into the kitchen. The smell of bacon wafted into the den, and Milo followed it. A chair had been placed next to Malcolm's, and Milo assumed it was his. Taking a seat, a heaping plate of eggs and bacon was placed in front of him.

"I don't know how well you've been eating," Mrs. Weaver explained, as Milo stared at the amount of food.

"I've been eating fine," Milo said, "But I've missed bacon. There are no pigs over there." He dug in as the front door opened, and Mr. Weaver came through, placing his briefcase on the counter and kissing his wife on the cheek before noticing Milo.

"Friends on a school night?" He said, looking between the two. "Was it a project?"

"No dear," Mrs. Weaver said. "Remember? This is Milo Monkey."

The man nodded, "Yes. The friend Malcolm hasn't invited over in a while."

"Do you remember why?" Mrs. Weaver asked.

Mr. Weaver grabbed a mug from the cupboard and poured himself a cup of coffee. "That's because…" He paused, lowering the mug. "That's because you were one of the disappearing school victims."

Milo nodded. "I came back on that marine ship."

"Well," Mr. Weaver said, picking up his coffee mug again. "That's a good excuse. What about your parents?"

"Wasn't with them," Milo said.

"Ah." Mr. Weaver didn't question him further, swallowing the last of his coffee and setting off upstairs.

Milo finished his plate as Mrs. Weaver turned on the small television sitting on the counter. Milo was half expecting to see his mother, as he usually did when sitting at the breakfast table. She would always tell people the weather; input her own forecast, and then sign out, telling her kids to have a good day at school. The weatherwoman this time was a slim blonde woman with high eyebrows.

"Who replaced Mom?" He asked.

"Jennifer Fitzpatrick." Mrs. Weaver said. "They mention Nami once a week at least, reminding people to donate to the scientists working on getting the missing people back home." She picked up Malcolm's and Cameron's plate, stacking them on top of each other before grabbing Milo's. "I have to head to work, and the boys are off to school. If you need anything, you can wake up my husband. But you've been to this place since you were eight. I'm sure you can find your way around."

"Thank you for letting me stay," Milo said.

"It's no problem," Mrs. Weaver said. "You are my son's friend, and you need help. We're not going to turn you down." She smiled as she stacked the dishes in the dishwasher. "Oh, and I washed the clothes you were wearing. The shorts had the strangest texture. Do you know what they were made of?"

"No. Marco gave them to me. Said they used to belong to Ace. They were the only things that would fit me. Well, Haruta's stuff would have, but she wears the strangest things."

"Well, it looked to be made of something similar to asbestos." She said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means it's fireproof." She answered, before glancing at the clock. "Heavens! We're going to be late. Help yourself to anything, and we'll see you tonight. Alright!" She clapped her hands and looked to her children. "Hustle!"

"See ya Milo," Malcolm said.

* * *

Vegapunk was frustrated. His experiment had jumped ship, and he was not happy. The sailors working under him seemed to sense his murderous mood, because they were making a point to avoid him. That brat. That pirate. That… He didn't know what to think of him. He wasn't special at all. No obscure talents, no strength, nothing. Nothing except his Devil Fruit, and even then, he had stolen the fruit from Vegapunk's personal collection. He had bought that from the Joker personally. The Devil Fruit that belonged to Fire Fist Ace.

Another question often popped up in his mind. Why would Marco bother with someone as unskilled as him? Was it because he was young? Easier to train? To sway?

The boy had claimed his parents were pirates, and quite famous ones too. But he had no names to give. He remained tight lipped about that. And Vegapunk couldn't harass him because the brat had done everything asked of him except answer that question.

He flexed his fingers and started biting at his thumbnail. He had been so cooperative. He had been sure the boy would have willingly joined him. That's why the boy was allowed so much freedom. But to actually jump ship? Vegapunk growled, sending the nearest sailors scurrying away in fright. Maybe it was because the boy was from this world. That's what he had said. Maybe he was just visiting his home to get something. He would be back. He had to be back.

But that brat had also mentioned knowing about Fire Fist before meeting the Whitebeards. The only people who had known Fire Fist were the Whitebeard Pirates. No. That wasn't completely true. He had heard the rumors about a previous crew, thought to be dead and gone, resurrected. Fire Fist's brother. Strawhat. That kid knew Strawhat.

"Sir?" A brave soldier knocked on his half open door.

"What?" Vegapunk spat.

"It's just… We have to leave now."

Vagapunk scowled, but nodded. "We'll head back. That boy will do everything he can to get back. His parents are there, and he seems like a loyal brat."

"Yessir." The sailor saluted.

* * *

Milo lounged on the couch, the news channel on and watching for any changes in Vegapunk's ship. He had been watching the news for two days now, hoping that each day would be the day he leaves.

_"Now back to Dock Watch. There have been no new arrivals this morning, and the marine ship that arrived two days ago is preparing to disembark. They have told us that one of their passengers, a teenage boy, has jumped ship, and that if he is located, send him home on the next marine ship that arrives. He should be easy to spot, not being familiar with this world. If he is seen, please either call the number on the screen or bring him to the docks. Thank you for your cooperation. See you again in half an hour."_

Milo sat up and turned off the TV, relief coursing through his body. Vegapunk was leaving. He was safe for the time being. He lay back on the couch, leaning his bare feet on the arm of the soda. So what was he going to do now? He couldn't stay with Malcolm and his family forever. Cameron was happy, claiming that Milo was his new big brother.

Sitting up when he heard footsteps, Mr. Weaver walked into the kitchen. Milo watched him through the doorway for a second, and then stood up. He might as well practice. He wasn't kidding when he said he might be a target. He had to learn to defend himself properly. And if that came from practicing, he would practice.

"I'm going out for a bit," He told Mr. Weaver, who nodded drowsily and filled a glass with water. "I'll be back by dinner."

Milo grabbed a jacket and left the house, jogging towards Central Park.

After training with Vegapunk, he couldn't bear to lose what that training had given him. And if he didn't keep it up, he would lose the muscle he had put on. If he was going to catch up with his father, he needed to keep practicing. Thinking back now, he remembered being picked up late from the day care. And once he was old enough to be left on his own, he noticed that his parents left work an hour earlier than they got home. Since both of them were stronger than any normal person could hope to be, it was safe to assume they kept up their training.

Reaching Central Park, he shed his jacket and tied it around his waist. At this time in the day most people were at work or school. It being a Thursday afternoon, Milo didn't expect to see anyone. He started running, finding it a lot easier to run on grass rather than the pavement. As he approached the first fountain, he noticed a large white van covered in satellite dishes parked nearby. A news truck?

He ignored it and kept going. His curiosity spiked when he came across another one a few hundred meters later. This one had a white coated man holding a beeping machine. He slowed slightly as the man turned around and started scribbling on a sheet of paper taped to the side of the truck.

He met another one about a kilometer from the first. This time he stopped. "Is everything alright?" Milo asked.

The white coated man looked up, "Nothing kid. But I'd advise you get out of the park as soon as possible. Shouldn't you be in school?"

"No," Milo said, trying to sound confident. Haruta had taught him that as long as he sounded sure of himself he wouldn't seem as suspicious. "Is there that weird shift energy?"

The man ran a hand through his already messy hair. "Yes. Now please, get out of the park."

Milo nodded, running back the way he came. He reached the edge of the park and was standing on the sidewalk when one of the trucks came speeding past, the tires leaving dirt skid marks in the grass. Both of the others he came across sped past as well, the last one screeching to a stop, the window rolled down and the messy haired scientist shouted through it. "Get out of here, kid!" He shouted. "Massive surge! Something's coming through!" Milo's eyes widened and he took off down the street. The van turned sharply, nearly colliding with another vehicle.

At what he deemed a safe distance, Milo stopped and turned. A bright light flared in the sky, just over the tallest tree in the park. The light began to take shape, creating a halo of light that slowly descended. Milo shielded his eyes against the harsh whiteness, turning back as soon as the light behind his eyelids faded.

He gaped.

There were no more trees in the park. Instead, there rose a large castle. There was a castle in the middle of the city.


End file.
